Horcrux Hunt
by bookwormwithanattitude
Summary: It's the seventh year and the Trio is facing their biggest challenge yet capturing four Horcruxes and defeating Voldemort himself. The Trio's Seventh and Final year told from Hermione's point of veiw. Warning: written by a middle/high schooler.
1. Goodbye

Number Four, Privet Drive was filled with a dead quiet this time of night only broken by the scratching of a quill coming from the small bedroom normally occupied by Harry Potter. But it was not Harry who was awake and working. It was none other than Hermione Granger. Though Harry and Ron were both asleep, Hermione was up, immersed in books and papers. The quiet of the night was conducive to her work and besides she was restless.

Hermione looked up from her papers to smile at her two friends. Harry was asleep in his bed, his brow furrowed as if he were dreaming of something unpleasant. On the floor beside him, in a sleeping bag, was Ron Weasley, who slept soundly with his face relaxed and his mouth half open. Hermione shifted her work slightly so she could see it better. She wanted to get as much research as possible done before they left for Godric's Hollow.

_I should get a book on Horcruxes, _ She thought. But where would she find them? Knockturn Alley. Perfect. They'd be bound to have one.

She made a note of this to herself on her list as Harry mumbled something in his sleep.

The air was chill with frosty silence as Hermione stabbed nervously at her chicken. She didn't like eating dinner with the Dursleys at all. She hated the Dursleys for what they had done to Harry, just being around them made her angry. She didn't understand them at all. Who could hate Harry? Who could be that cruel? Still, she felt uncomfortable imposing on the Dursleys when she knew they didn't want her here.

Harry broke the silence. "I heard you up last night," he nodded to Hermione.

"Oh, did I wake you?"

"Nah, woke up by myself," Harry said airily. "What were you doing, up with all the books and papers?"

"Don't tell me you were studying," Ron said in a nauseated voice. "Schools out. We're not even going back next year."

"I was just planning for the trip," Hermione said. They always called it "the trip" as if they were taking a vacation in Majorca, not going off to find bits of Voldemort's soul.

"You were planning…by looking at books," Harry said.

"Books have saved us more than once if memory serves," Hermione answered.

"Books are the answer to everything, Harry," Ron said, wide eyed. "Don't tell me you didn't know that."

"Ah, yes," Harry answered in an imitation of Professor Trelawney. "Books…they are not only a wealth of valuable life saving information, but they transport us into whole other wooooorlds…"

"Oh, shut up," Hermione said, smiling to herself. She couldn't help but be glad that despite the task ahead, Harry and Ron were still their same sarcastic selves.

"Can I have seconds?" Ron asked.

And apparently Ron still had his appetite.

The Dursley's merely glared at Ron.

"I'll take that as a yes, then," Ron said, helping himself to more chicken. "You know, you should really be more polite. We're guests."

A vein was pulsing in Harry's uncle's temple. Harry was biting his lower lip to keep from laughing.

"Good chicken," Hermione said quickly, shoving her plate away. She looked over at Ron who was shoving the chicken in his mouth as fast as he could. "Ron's a pig." She apologized.

"Hey!" Ron mumbled with his mouth full.

They were met with a stony silence. Harry rolled his eyes at them and sighed. Hermione tried to finish her dinner quicker. Finally, Harry's uncle snapped "When are you going to leave?" to Harry

"As soon as possible," Harry sighed, putting his dishes away.

"Good."

"And who wants to play chess?" Hermione interjected nervously

"Winner plays me!" Ron said, shoving the last of the chicken into his mouth and getting up. Harry followed him, looking sullen. Hermione began to follow Harry out of the kitchen. Petunia was about to get up to wash the dishes when Hermione stopped and said, "Here, let me."

She waved her wand and the dishes became magically clean. Petunia gasped and jumped back. All three of the Dursleys looked positively terrified.

Hermione couldn't resist an evil smile as she strode out of the kitchen.

The trio was on one of their evening walks. Harry had grown into the habit of restlessly strolling the streets in the evening and Ron and Hermione accompanied him. Admittedly, Hermione liked walking with her best friends, the cool evening air whipping her hair, the silence and just the three of them, alone in the street.

Sort of alone.

"Look, there's Dudley and his gang," Harry nodded toward silhouettes in the distance.

"What are they up too?" Hermione asked.

"Smoking. Beating up small children. Vandalism. Possibly doing drugs."

"Maybe we should go another way, then," Hermione began, but Harry said, "Too late. Look, they've spotted us."

Indeed they had. One figure shouted, "Look Big D, it's Potter," and they started toward them while Dudley stammered something about how he didn't want to miss this one television show.

Harry tensed. Hermione put her hand on his shoulder but her hand curled into a fist as well. Maybe she'd give these bullies a little scare…

"Um, mates, we should…" Dudley was saying, as the bullies got closer.

"Blimey," Ron said. "A lot of these blokes are bigger than Crabbe and Goyle."

"And just as stupid," Harry muttered.

"Look, it's Potter!" A big boy with mousy hair cackled. "Long time, no see."

" Who are these two?" said a ratty boy. "Are they from your…reform school?"

"Oh, yeah, sure." Harry said in a monotone.

"I though it was St Brutus's Insti- inst- I thought it was a school for _ boys._ She's a girl," said a boy, pointing to Hermione.

"Well spotted," Hermione couldn't help saying. Grinning, Ron caught her eye.

"She's from the Institution for, er, Incurably Criminal Girls," Harry said.

"Don't tell me you have friends, Potter," the ratty boy sneered.

"Okay, I won't," Harry said dismissively.

"I don't like Potter's mouth," the big boy sneered.

"Or his little girlfriends. I think she was being…um... um…"

"Sarcastic," Hermione said helpfully.

"Yeah! When she said well spotted."

"Let's beat them up, huh, Big D!"

"You better not lay a finger on either of them," Ron snarled. "Or you'll regret it."

"Let's beat him up too, then!" the ratty boy said excitedly.

"I don't think so," Dudley said. "Uh…they…uh…we should just go home."

"Come on, Big D! Punch Potter. Just like old times. Remember how we'd punch him in the nose and break his glasses?"

"He'd run whenever he saw us!"

"That was bad though," one guy said slowly. "He was fast. We could never catch him, unless he tripped or something."

"Yeah, punch him Big D!" the guys started to chant.

"But, but…"

"I'll do it," A big guy said, grabbing Harry's shirt.

Hermione reached for her wand, but Harry said calmly, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Why?"

"Ron and Hermione are really good shots," Harry said.

"Wha-who are Ron and Her-my-oh-knee?" The boy said slowly, stumbling over Hermione's name.

"My friends, you idiot."

"Whaddya mean they're good shots?"

"We're criminals, remember? They have guns. With bullets."

The boy paled and let go of Harry's shirt. But the ratty boy said, "You're bluffing."

"He's not," Ron said fiercely. "What's a gun?" he whispered to Hermione.

"Just play along," Hermione whispered back.

"Yeah, right," the ratty boy sneered, still focused on Harry.

"I'm not scared of no girl," said one of the humongous boys, looking at Hermione.

"You should be," Hermione said softly, hiding her wand behind her back.

"Don't mess with her, she's dangerous," Ron warned.

"We have guns," Harry said again.

"Prove it." The ratty boy sneered.

Behind her back, Hermione's wand let out a bang like a gunshot, echoing through the street. The boys jumped a foot in the air and ran away screaming. As soon as they disappeared around the corner, Ron doubled over with laughter.

"That…was…brilliant," Ron gasped. "Did you see the looks on their faces?"

Harry was chuckling too. "Serves them right."

Hermione smiled. She had to admit, it was pretty funny. And it was rather satisfying, getting back at those bullies.

"So," Rom asked, "What IS a gun?"

A few nights later, Hermione was walking to the bathroom when she heard voices in Harry's aunt and uncle's bedroom. Curious, she pressed her ear to the door.

"How much longer are they going to be here, I wonder?"

"It better ruddy well not be much longer. I look forward to never seeing the boy again. And those friends of his! Not only are they not normal, but anyone who'd be friends with that boy has obviously got problems," Harry's uncle growled.

"That girl, sleeping in the boys room, it's positively indecent!"

"I know what you mean. She's probably sleeping with the boy, and I don't mean on the floor of his room."

Ew, Hermione thought, wrinkling her nose and feeling anger flare up in her stomach.

"It sounds like they're going on some sort…of…quest thing," Harry's aunt said, sounding odd.

"Eh?"

"I heard them talking…by accident…they're going to try and stop…that…Voldemort…the one who killed…. I mean, the one who sent the Dementors after him, remember?"

There was a stunned silence. Hermione herself couldn't help being surprised. According to Harry, his aunt and uncle often pretended magic didn't exist.

"Oh…maybe we'll get lucky and he'll finish the boy off as well."

Hermione clenched her fists. How could Harry's family be so horrible?

"No…if the boy doesn't finish him off…he'll…attack…. he kills normal people…It could be us next."

There was a long silence.

"We…should get some sleep," Vernon said.

Hermione crept away from the door.

Hermione walked in the living room, her hair dark and sopping wet from the shower she had just taken. Ron was examining the television with fascination as Harry paced back and forth irritably. Hermione searched through her bag for a wand to dry her hair as Ron said "What IS this thing?"

"A television," Hermione said, locating her wand.

"That is so informative."

"Harry told you about it in fourth year. When he was explaining electronic bugs." Hermione said, holding a clump of wet hair above the steam erupting from her wand.

"Just because you remember everything people say, doesn't mean I do, Hermione," Ron snapped.

"You'll just have to get used to being ignorant then."

"Know it all," Ron muttered.

"What's with Harry?" Hermione asked, examining her now dry hair in the mirror. It was so frizzy she could swear it was emitting static electricity.

"He wont tell me. I expect he's getting antsy again. He hasn't sat down since we got up."

"Huh," Hermione said, running her fingers through her hair. "Ow!" She cried as her fingers were caught in a tangle.

"Maybe he's tired of being here. Or maybe he's gone completely insane. Or more insane. I always figured he was insane already."

"I'm right here!" Harry snapped.

"Harry, calm down. He was just kidding," Hermione said soothingly, searching through her bag for a hairbrush. "What's up with you?"

Harry sighed. "It's like Ron said, I guess. I'm tired of being here. I hate this place. I want to be hunting him down, not here."

"We've only been here a week. I think it needs to be two weeks before the magic sets in," Hermione said.

"I know, I know…." Harry grumbled.

"At least after this you never have to go back," Ron said reasonably.

"Yes, after this I never want to see you again," said a voice from the doorway. The three of them whipped around to face Vernon Dursley. "Is that clear, boy?"

"Didn't you just here me?" Harry snarled. "I wouldn't come back here if my life depended on it!"

"If your life depended on it, then I definitely wouldn't let you in," Vernon said nastily. "Get away from that television, you red headed freak!" he snapped at Ron.

"He'll do whatever he wants!" Harry shouted. "He has a wand and you don't! And don't talk to my friends like that!"

"You mean, that girl over there with the hair that ate London or the beanpole boy with clown feet."

Harry jumped up looking angry and Ron scowled, but before either of them could do anything, Hermione stepped in front of Vernon with her wand pointed at him.

"Please go to another room," she said. "We're trying to have a conversation."

Vernon left, glaring at her. Harry sat back down looking mutinous.

Hermione restlessly tugged the brush though her hair, wincing.

"Want to play chess?" Ron said hopefully to Harry.

"No."

"We could go out," Hermione suggested.

"Where? This is Little Whinging. There's nothing to do."

"Well, I'm going to write a letter to Mum and Dad," Hermione announced.

"Yeah, what happened to your Mum and Dad?" Ron said. "You never told us how they took it."

"Like I know," Hermione sighed. "I gave them a letter and dissaperated."

"You gave them a letter?" Ron asked incredulously. "You didn't even tell them face to face?"

"Of course I didn't! They'd try to stop me!"

"And maybe they should," Harry said suddenly. "I mean, I wouldn't want to worry your parents. And this is going to be so dangerous, Hermione, I don't want you and Ron to-er…" he trailed off as Hermione fixed him with her stoniest glare.

"Honestly, you shove a letter in their hands explaining that you've been lying to them for six years and you're now going to go risk your neck, and they can't stop you, and run off. I wouldn't want to be your parents."

"_Oh, Ron?"_Hermione said firing up. "And what should I do? Take five hours to explain everything to them and have them try to restrain me from going, perhaps so much that I'm forced to curse them to escape? Don't talk to me about how I should treat my parents, Ron Weasley! Neither of you have had any idea what it's been like for me, having to lie to them for six years so I could keep going to Hogwarts! You don't know what it's like having parents from the other world, who couldn't possibly comprehend the world of magic! You have no idea what it's like to be away from them all year, only to have to cut holidays and summers short, so I can make sure you two don't do anything stupid, to not be able to tell them anything! _And you, you cannot possibly comprehend what it was like to write the letter, explaining every horrible thing that's ever happened to us and just stuff it in their hands and leave them there, because you can't think of anything else to do, to see the looks on their faces when you run away! No, so don't you ever lecture me, Ron, when you have a mother and father who know exactly whats going on!"_

Hermione was screaming by the time she finished and both Harry and Ron had their mouths hanging open, looking shocked.

"Hermione…" Ron said weakly.

"I don't ever want to talk about this again," Hermione said, breathing hard. "When I come back down, we are acting like this never happened."

With that she stormed out of the room, past the Dursleys, who must have heard her. She didn't care. She thumped up the steps, throwing the door to Harry's room open so violently that Crookshanks hissed and disappeared under the bed. Hands shaking, Hermione reached for the ink a parchment and composed a letter to her parents.

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_I'm fine and at Harry's aunt and uncles. They are just as horrible as Harry says, but don't bother us much, because we have wands. Harry's already getting tired of the place, and I can't blame him. Ron, however, takes great pleasure in goading Dudley and is fascinated by the Muggle technology._

_I hope you aren't taking my letter too hard. I did what I had to do. The last thing in the world I want to do is to hurt you._

_Crookshanks is fine; I haven't figured out whether I should take him on the trip yet. He might be a liability, but I'd miss him and he also might be a help. He figured out Ron's rat was…not a rat. (Like I said in my letter, it's a long story) I suspect he's part Kneazle, which could be useful. Nevertheless, I might be sending him to you. Please take good care of him if I do._

_I hope you don't in any way blame Harry for this. He's still trying to convince Ron and me not to come with him. He even said he was worried about upsetting you two. So, he isn't dragging us into this in any way. We're choosing to go._

_Being here makes me really appreciate having a family. It must have been horrible for Harry, growing up with these people. His uncle never loses a chance to insult him. I'm glad you two are such good parents._

_I'd better go. But remember, you can't write back, or people might track us. I'll write to you every week. If I miss a week, don't panic. I might just be…busy._

_I love the both of you and I'm still so sorry._

_Love from,_

_Hermione.  
_

Hermione finished the letter and gave it to Pigwidgeon, who was less conspicuous than Hedwig. Then, sighing, she went downstairs again.

That night, Hermione had a dream.

_Hermione stood next to Harry and Ron in a graveyard, watching her parents dance around a grave to some rather horrible opera._

_"Should I talk to them?" Hermione said nervously._

_Ron, who was playing the kazoo, shrugged. Hermione rolled her eyes and turning to Harry, who said, "Hey, don't ask me. I don't know anything. I don't even have parents."_

_"I know, Harry."_

_"Just hurry up," Harry advised. "My days are numbered, you know."_

_"Is that why we're here?" Ron sang._

_Hermione stepped toward her parents, who were laughing._

_"Hi."_

_"Hello Hermione. You're late."_

_"Sorry," Hermione said. "And I mean it."_

_"Sorry is just a word," Her mother told her._

_"Then what do I say?"_

_"Say nothing."_

_"You don't need us anymore," her father said, twirling like a ballerina._

_"You're all grown up."_

_"I need you," Hermione protested weakly, but her parents just laughed._

_"But they don't need you…it's true…it's true…" Ron sang._

_"Shut up, beanpole," she snarled. She turned to her parents. "Whose grave are you dancing on, anyway?"_

_Her mother giggled. "Yours, of course." _

Hermione woke up with a start. Breathing heavily, she looked around. Ron was gone. He must've been going to the bathroom or something. She looked over at Harry, who was frowning and muttering something indistinguishable in his sleep. The room felt cold and barren. Hermione stuck her head out the open window, the wind whipping in her face. She looked down and saw a windowframe of rust metal bars fallen on the ground behind the hedges. Odd. But then, this place felt like a jail. She couldn't imagine growing up here. She remembered seeing the small cramped cupboard for the first time, the one Harry had told them he had slept in. How could people be so cruel? She felt for her sleeping friend, who slept with a perpetually worried look on his face. For Harry, life had never been easy. She sighed and crawled back into her sleeping bag, waiting for Ron to reenter the room. He never did.

A week later, it was finally time to leave the Dursleys. Harry shook Hermione awake at six o clock in the morning.

"Harry?" she yawned, sitting up.

"Come on, we need to eat breakfast before we go," he said urgently.

Ron who was grumbling checked the clock, and then looked mortified.

"Harry, it's-"

"I know, I know. But the sooner we're out of here the better," Harry said abruptly and strode out of the room. Ron rubbed his eyes mournfully.

A half hour later, they were downstairs and Harry was frying bacon. By the time they had finished breakfast the Dursleys were awake. Harry swore under his breath.

"What are you doing?" Vernon asked suspiciously.

"I'm going," Harry said flatly.

"Finally," Vernon heaved a sigh. Hermione fought the urge to make little birds attack him.

"Yeah," Harry said, sounding listless. "Well…. er…bye."

"Goodbye," Hermione and Ron chorused.

"Thank you for letting us stay!" Hermione said. Harry and Ron rolled their eyes at her.

They waited for the Dursleys to say something, but they didn't, so they turned around and walked toward the door.

"Wait a minute," Vernon said.

They stopped.

"I've waited a long time for this day. And now it had finally come. And I just want to say: you were a whiny ungrateful burden from the day you were born, just like your useless parents. I don't know why we put up with you. So, go with your freaky friends. But never, ever come back to this house again. I don't want you bringing your demented-oids and Dark Lord. If you're going to get yourself killed, do it away from here."

There was a ringing silence. Hermione felt rage boil in her stomach, but still managed to grab Ron's arm when he pulled his wand out. Harry did not touch his wand. He advanced on Vernon until they were an inch apart. Harry's anger was making the room shake, literally. Petunia and Dudley shrank back and even Vernon looked unnerved. But Harry merely looked very pale. When he spoke it was in a calm voice.

"I would never come back here. Ever since I can remember," he said steadily "I have hated this place. I have hated this family. Every single one of you, I used to be afraid of you, when I was small. I'm not anymore. I'm not afraid of any of you. It's you who should be afraid. Something much bigger and more frightening than you can ever imagine in your tiny little minds is going on. And it doesn't matter if I stay away or not … it will affect you. It will consume you. I've met people, since I've gone to Hogwarts, a thousand times more evil and threatening than you. But you, you ignorant, selfish, cruel little people, only think about how you're going to beat the crap out of the ten year old kid who called you a pig, or what the neighbors are fighting about or your next big drill deal." Harry laughed coldly. "I almost feel sorry for you."

"You listen here, boy," Vernon started, his face purpled but Harry interrupted him.

_"No!"_ Harry said. A vase shattered on the desk table. "_You listen to ME for once. You were almost the worst family anybody could ask for. You act like you know me? You know NOTHING about me. But I know you. You are all just so afraid…of something different, of someone better, and so petty and jealous- and you make up for it by being bigots. But I can see under that. Under that, you're just cowards. Just. Sniveling. Cowards. And now, you have something REAL to fear. And I'm glad I'll be gone the day reality finally kicks in!"_

The Durleys stared at Harry, dumbstruck.

Harry took a deep breath. "I used to be afraid. I used to hate you. But now, I pity you. But I have bigger things to deal with. And really? I don't even care anymore. Goodbye."

He strode out the door, Ron and Hermione hurried after him, and Harry slammed the door so hard that they heard a crash as a painting fell off of the wall.

Harry strode ahead of them breathing heavily. At the end of the street, he stopped abruptly. He turned around staring at the silent street. Hermione looked at it too. Rows and rows of houses stretched down, all with perfectly trimmed gleaming lawns. Light flashed off the windows and a wind blew softly through. Harry sat down on the road. Ron and Hermione knelt down next to him.

"I'm leaving," Harry said, as if he didn't believe it. "Forever. And I'm never going back."

"Yes," Hermione said softly.

"You're well out of it, mate," Ron said.

Harry gave both of them a faint smile and took out the locket, the fake Horcrux he and Dumbledore had found, out of his pocket, rubbing it with his thumb. Then he put it away. He got up, and so did they.

"Alright then," he said. "Let's go."

Hermione adjusted her bags, clutching Crookshanks carriage tighter, closed her eyes and turned slowly. And, before they knew it, the three of them were being forced through a cramped black hole, speeding away, away, away, from Number Four, Privet Drive.

_-Say goodbye to the old street that never cared much for you anyway  
And the different colored doorways you thought would let you in one day  
Goodbye to the old bus stop frozen and waiting  
The weekend addition has this town over-rated  
You walk across the baseball green  
The grass has turned to straw  
A flock of birds tries to fly away from where you are  
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye old friend  
I can't make you stay  
I can't spend another ten years wishing you would anyway  
Say goodbye to the old building that never tried to know your name  
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye old friend  
You won't be seeing me again  
Goodbye to all the window panes shining in the sun  
Like diamonds on a winter day  
Goodbye, goodbye to everyone  
_

-From _Useless Desires_ , Patty Griffin.


	2. A Weasley Wedding

Chapter Two

A Weasley Wedding

"I'll never live this down," Ginny Weasley said, staring morosely at the dress.

"It's not…that bad," Hermione said tactfully. "Just a bit…frilly."

"It's hideous!" Ginny threw the dress down on the bed and glared at it. "I'll kill Phlegm!"

"Well, I wouldn't object to that," Hermione said.

"This blows. I hate weddings, I hate Fleur and I hate dresses, especially frilly ones!"

"You've never been to a wedding, how do you know you'll hate it?" Hermione asked sensibly.

"I just know," Ginny sighed. Then, sighing, she fell back on the bed.

"What's the matter, Ginny?" Hermione asked quietly.

Ginny shook her head.

"Is it Harry?" she prompted.

"Well, yeah, sort of," Ginny admitted reluctantly.

"I know he broke up with you."

"Yeah."

Hermione sighed. "I guess I should have seen that coming. It is s_o _Harry. He does stuff like that all the time."

"I know."

"He just cares about you. That's why he did it. It's stupid, I know, but he's been doing things like that since first year. He tried to get me and Ron to stay away, too."

Ginny smiled. "Didn't work, huh?"

"Of course not. We're going along with him. As if he could do it alone," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'm glad you and Ron will be there, to stop him from doing anything stupid."

"You could talk to him," Hermione suggested.

Ginny bit her lip. "Nah wouldn't do any good. Besides, I've proven to him I can't handle Voldemort."

"What? Oh…are you talking about the whole…diary thing?"

"Yeah," Ginny said mournfully. "I proved I was a stupid little girl who couldn't handle herself, who nearly got herself killed because she wanted a friend. Harry had to rush in and save me."

"That's not true! You weren't stupid! Besides, Harry let Voldemort trick him too. That's what he DOES, Ginny. Trick people. Besides, that was a long time ago. You were a first year, for goodness's sake!"

Ginny just shook her head.

"I understand Harry. You two will be enough to take care of him. I mean with your brains and Ron's abilities, Voldemort doesn't stand a chance. I'll just hold you back. . And I should finish school. Mum will be stressed enough when Ron tells her he's going off."

"Ron hasn't told your mum yet?" Hermione exclaimed, shocked.

"No. Hey, how'd it go with your parents, anyway?"

"I told them I loved them and I was sorry, hugged them, stuffed a letter in their hand and Disapparated."

"Ah," Ginny said. "Well, it was the best you could do under the circumstances. You'll write to them?"

"Of course."

"Then it's all good."

"I still feel guilty."

"Don't. You did what you had to do."

Hermione grinned. "You're great. I'll miss having you around. Harry and Ron are my best friends in the world, and I wouldn't trade them for anything, but sometimes it's nice to have a girl around. To discuss feelings and things with, you know."

Ginny was silent for a moment.

"Speaking of feelings…" she said. "Thanks for that advice you gave me…about Harry. I don't know how to repay you. You're really good with feelings and things, helping other people out."

"Well…" Hermione blushed. "I just know Harry. I mean, you're funny, you're smart, you're gutsy…I knew he'd like you once he got to know you."

"Well…" Ginny said. "All that aside, I still hate this dress." She held it up for Hermione to look at again.

"I think I read about a charm once that'll fix that-take every frilly think out in one swish of a wand." Hermione laughed.

"Really?"

"Yes. Stand back…"

When Hermione went down to the kitchen the next morning, she found Ron and Harry absolutely PILING food on their plates.

"I love your Mum's cooking," Harry said.

"I love it too," Ron said dreamily. "I'll miss it so."

"You two make me sick," Hermione said, shaking her head and taking a sensible portion. "Besides, if you love you Mum's food so much, take some on the trip, in a case with Refrigeration Charm."

"Brilliant!" Ron exclaimed.

"Yes, it takes a genius like me to come up with an idea like that," Hermione said wearily. She chewed her food thoughtfully.

"So, Ron, Ginny tells me you haven't told your Mum about our little trip yet."

"Er…" Ron said. "Well, I'm waiting for the right moment…"

"Which would be…?"

"Right before we leave?"

Hermione snorted in disgust. "Ginny's right, you are a filthy hypocrite."

"Not true! I'm a very clean hypocrite, thank you!"

"How is Ginny?" Harry asked casually.

"She lives here, Harry, find out for yourself."

"Hermione…."

"Fine, Harry, she's fine," Hermione sighed. "In fact that's probably her coming down the stairs right now."

"Hello all," Ginny yawned, plunking herself down at the table. "Did I hear my name?"

"I was just telling Ron you're right."

"Of course. What was right about?"

"He's a hypocrite."

"You just figured that out? And you're supposed to be smart."

"Very funny," Ron muttered. "D'you know when Fred and George are coming?"

"Tomorrow, along with Charlie. And all the other guests will come the day after. And the day after that, we'll have the wedding."

"Have you seen what Fleur's wearing?" Ron asked casually.

"No. You disgust me, Ron."

"Me too," Hermione added.

Harry, who hadn't said a word since Ginny arrived, quickly finished his meal.

He dumped his plates in the sink and left the kitchen. Hermione rolled her eyes at Ginny, who shrugged, looking depressed. Ron pretended not to notice anything and kept shoveling food into his mouth. Mrs. Weasley came in.

"Hello everyone. Where's Harry?"

"I think he went to his room," Hermione said.

"I see. Ginny, could you come help me with Fleur's dress? I need you to help me pick out the best one."

"Why me?"

"Ginny!"

Ginny followed her mother glumly out of the room, ignoring Ron's gestures to for her to tell him about Fleur's dress later.

"'Ermione. I must talk to you!"

Hermione turned around slowly, suppressing a sigh. "Yes, Fleur?"

"I want 'oo to tell me what you think of zis dress," Fleur called. Her magnificent head was poking out of the doorway down the hall.

"Fleur, you've already gotten Mrs. Weasley's, Mr. Weasley's, Harry's, Ron's, Ginny's and Bill's opinions on the dress."

"Yes. Everyone but you."

Hermione rolled her eyes, but couldn't help being slightly flattered that her opinion mattered at all to Fleur. She walked into the room and examined Fleur. She looked absolutely stunning…almost unnaturally beautiful in the lacey slinky wedding gown. Ethereal.

"You look gorgeous," Hermione said.

"Oh, you are just saying zat."

"Oh course I'm not. Everyone knows you look great, Fleur. You're part veela. You look great in everything, and the dress is pretty, so now you look really great. Can I go now?"

"You really think so?" Fleur asked, examining herself in the mirror.

"YES. Don't rub it in, Fleur."

"What deed you say?"

"Nothing," Hermione said quickly. "Bye."

Hermione ran up to her room, slammed her door and flopped down on her bed. The image of Fleur was still burning in her mind. She would never look like that. Never in a million years. Even at the Yule Ball, she had just looked pretty. As opposed to ugly, which everyone else was used to. And she had spent HOURS getting ready for that. Fleur was unbelievably gorgeous without even trying! In fact, everyone was prettier than her. Ginny, Lavender, Parvati, and Cho…No wonder Ron had chosen Lavender over her. She could still remember his diatribe on not wanting to take an ugly girl to the Ball…she pulled herself together. This was silly. It didn't matter what she looked like, her mind and her heart were what mattered, she knew that, and sure Ron acted like he put looks first, but she knew that was just an act, didn't she? She was fairly sure he liked her. Anyway, she had more important things to worry about.

Decided, she went to find Harry and Ron. But before she went, she couldn't resist looking in the mirror before shaking her head and stalking away.

The next day, Fred and George arrived at breakfast.

"Hello, my dear friends and family," George said in a monotone, immediately grabbing some breakfast. "We are glad to see you all. Except for Ron, of course."

"Shut up," Ron snapped in way of a greeting.

"Hi, you two. How goes the joke shop?" Harry asked.

"Better than ever. Our customers were very disappointed when we said we were closing up for a couple of days. But of course, we couldn't miss seeing Mum completely freak out trying to get ready on time," Fred said.

"And seeing Ginny in a dress. From the way Mum raved about it, it must be horrible," George chortled.

"Not anymore," Ginny said. "Hermione fixed it."

"Hermione! Why do you always have to ruin our fun?" Fred whined.

"Ruining people's fun is her life's mission," Ron commented.

"Oh, be quiet," Hermione snapped, while the others laughed.

Mrs. Weasley bustled in. "Fred! George! Come help me decorate!"

"Honestly, woman, we just got here."

"Which is why you should only be too happy to help. Stop tearing up your bacon, Fred."

"I'm not Fred-"

"Whichever you are! Everyone, finish breakfast and come help!"

She bustled out again.

"It's begun," George said.

"She's in the zone," Fred muttered.

"She just loves bossing us around," George sighed.

"Well, far be it from us to keep her from something she enjoys. Come on, you lot."

And they all got up to help.

"Stop fidgeting, Ron," Hermione hissed.

They were sitting in the second row of chairs outside, waiting for the wedding to begin.

"When's it going to start?" Ron hissed.

"When it does."

"Ah, a Weasley wedding," Fred sighed.

"You'll laugh, you'll cry…"

"You'll ogle Fleur's ass…."

"Would you two shut up?" Harry said.

"No. Our voices drown out the bad music," Fred said.

"Oh, here comes Fleur!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Whoa," Ron gasped.

Hermione had to admit, Fleur looked even better than that time she had shown off her dress for Hermione. She was glowing, her smile radiant, her gown slinky and beautiful, all the boys mouths dropped open in astonishment, even Fred and George's. Ginny and Gabrielle followed. Gabrielle, like Ginny, seemed to have "fixed" her dress; Hermione suspected Fleur had helped her. She hoped Mrs. Weasley wasn't too disappointed that the dresses she picked out had been altered. Ginny looked very pretty, even standing next to Gabrielle. She had a large silk flower in her hair, which was a radiant red, her skin milk white against the glow of the sun. Harry shifted uncomfortably next to Hermione.

A wizard in white robes made Fleur and Bill say their vows, punctuated by the sound of Mrs. Weasley sobbing. When they kissed, Mrs. Weasley positively howled. Bill and Fleur turned to walk back down the path, when suddenly spells began shooting everywhere.

Many things happened at once. Bill forced Fleur down as she screamed. Ginny swore and pulled her wand out of her sash, Hermione herself had her wand tucked in the straps of her sandals, she pulled it out and raised it as chaos reigned, but Harry climbed up on a chair, looked around and appearing to spot someone, shouted "Stupefy!" Apparently he had hit his target because he gave a satisfied nod, grabbed Ron and Hermione's hands and dragged them out of the wedding.

"Harry! Where are we going?" Hermione gasped.

"Out of here," Harry said forcefully. "I dunno who that was, I don't even know if they were a Death Eater, but they were after me. And if I hang around, someone'll get hurt."

"But we have to say goodbye…" Hermione said.

"No. The longer I stay around here, the more people could get hurt. I've caused Mr. and Mrs. Weasley enough trouble."

"They don't mind," Ron assured Harry.

"I just ruined the wedding, Ron!"

"I didn't see you doing anything wrong…" Ron began, but Hermione gave him a warning look.

They reached the edge of the Weasley's property.

"Okay, now we have to summon our stuff," Harry said. "That is, if you want to go. You don't need to-"

"Oh, be quiet," Hermione and Ron said together.

Hermione smiled and raised her wand, but then she saw Ginny running towards them. It looked like someone had caught his or her foot in her dress; it was ripped and had a muddy footprint on it.

"Wait!" Ginny reached them. "Where are you going?"

"We have to get away from here," Harry said. It was the most words he'd said to Ginny since their arrival. "Is everyone okay?"

"Yeah. So you were just going to leave without saying goodbye?"

"We need to-well-I wanted…" Harry stammered.

Ginny shook her head. "Look, can I at least say goodbye?"

Harry relented. "OK."

Ginny hugged Ron.

"Take care of yourself. I love you."

"Yeah, well," Ron muttered, his ears going red. "Me too. Stay out of trouble. And don't get involved with too many boys, seriously, Ginny-"

"Bye, Hermione," Ginny cut him off, hugging Hermione also. "Thanks for being a great friend."

"You too," Hermione replied.

"Be careful. Write to me."

"Of course."

Ginny turned to Harry, who went red. There was a short silence, and then Ginny grabbed him and kissed him.

Ron covered his eyes, while Hermione resisted the urge to giggle.

Ginny broke away from Harry finally and he gaped at her.

"Just so you know I'm not going to disappear from your life and I'm not going to let you boss me around. I still love you. Now go!"

"Oh, no," Ron said in a panic. "I never told Mum!"

"I'll tell her," Ginny said.

Hermione summoned her things. She grabbed her bag and Crookshanks basket out of the air. "I guess Crookshanks is coming with us after all," she muttered, adjusting the basket on her arm.

She grabbed Harry's arm and Ron grabbed his other.

"Bye!" Ginny called.

"See you, Ginny," Harry managed to say.

"Take care," Hermione said.

"Don't snog in the halls!" Ron admonished.

And on that touching note, the three of them disappeared into the swirling blackness.

- To keep your marriage brimming,with love in the wedding cup, whenever you're wrong, admit it;  
whenever you're right, shut up.  
Ogden Nash


	3. Welcome Home, Harry

Chapter Three

Welcome Home, Harry

Hermione looked around the dusty street and voiced the question, "Where are we?"

"No idea," Harry said unhelpfully. "Away from the Burrow."

"I see a shop," Ron pointed out, interrupted by a screech. "Shut up, Pig!"

Hermione knelt down and let Crookshanks out. The cat stretched and Hermione scratched his head. "Stay with us."

Crookshanks gave her a look of deepest disdain, reprimanding her for even suggesting he'd be stupid enough to wander away.

The boys let their owls out and followed Hermione to the shop. It had no sign whatsoever, but Hermione peered in and saw it was open, and old man standing at the counter.

"We should ask where we are," she decided and opened the door, which jingled annoyingly. The old man looked surprised to see people actually enter his shop.

"'Ello."

"Hi. I was just wondering…where are we?" she voiced stupidly.

The man didn't look surprised at the questions. "Salty Springs."

"I've never heard of that place."

"Most haven't. We be in Bristol. Are you in needing orf directions?"

"Yeah," Harry said. "You know where Godric's Hollow is?"

"Heard of it. Couldn't give yeh directions."

Hermione looked around and spotted something. "You have a computer!"

"Yep."

"Can we use it to look for directions?"

"Sure."

Hermione thanked the man and tapped on to the Internet. She stared at the home page, unsure of where to go. She screwed up her eyes to think. She used to log on quite a lot before Hogwarts…to look up stuff for school. Search engine. Right, that's what she would need. She typed in the address, and then keyed "Directions Godric's Hollow" in. Soon she'd discovered a map.

"Can I use your printer?" she asked the man as Harry and Ron stood uselessly by, Ron staring at the computer as though he was a little scared of it.

The man nodded and Hermione hit print. The noise of the printer caused Ron to jump back and the man looked at him curiously.

"Technophobe," Hermione explained, grabbing up the map.

The man chuckled understandingly. "Aren't we all, now, lass?"

Hermione gave a fake laugh and moved to shove the piece of paper in her jeans pocket, but then remembered she wasn't wearing jeans. She looked down at her floor length dress and said, "Er, do you have a bathroom."

"Yep."

"We need to change," she told Harry and Ron, who looked down at their garments in surprise.

"Oh. Right."

"Go righ' ahead," the old man said generously.

Hermione smiled at him and entered the girl's loo, pulling from her suitcase jeans and a purple T-shirt. She put them on quickly, shoving her dress unceremoniously in the suitcase and went out to meet Harry and Ron.

"Thank you." Hermione told the old man and feeling it would be rude to leave without buying anything, grabbed a Mars Bar and handed him a bill. Once they got outside Ron gasped, "What in Merlin's name was that white thing?"

Hermione shoved the candy at him to pacify him and opened examined the page, Harry looking over her shoulder.

"It's a neighborhood in Dealyford," Hermione noted. "We should be able to Apparate there.

"Right," Harry said, sounding slightly nervous. "Lets do it."

They arrived right next to a shiny yellow sign that said _I Dealyford /I. _ For a while, they just stood there, staring at it.

"Well…come on," Harry said finally.

They walked down the street, their footsteps echoing eerily. The place was dead silent and all the houses looked the same. Hermione could vaguely remember a book she'd read, A Wrinkle in Time; it had been her favorite when she was seven and they had all gone to a place where everything was the same…it reminded her of this. She couldn't imagine the Potters living here.

"This place is creepy," Ron announced.

"It reminds me of Privet Drive," Harry said.

"Maybe we should ask for directions," Hermione told them.

"I dunno if that's a good idea," Ron said carefully.

"What, do you think IT is going to drain our brains?" Hermione said carelessly.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Never mind. What do you think, Harry?"

"Let's do it," Harry said. He strode up to a house and knocked firmly on the door. A frazzled looking woman opened it, looking suspiciously at them.

"Do you know where Godric's Hollow is?" Harry asked.

"Godric's-oh that weird neighborhood. Why would you want to go there?"

"Er-"

"It's mostly abandoned, it's a horrible desolate place. The few people who do live there are insane, let me tell you. There's a giant burnt hole in the middle of the place and sometimes-odd people come and take pictures of it! They probably think it's a spaceship landing pad or something. No, this neighborhood is much nicer."

Harry looked slightly shocked at the mention of the burnt hole, but held his ground.

"But, do you know where it is?"

"Well, yes, it's six blocks over, starting on Sword Street, but why would you-"

"Thanks, bye!" Harry said and he trounced off, dragging Ron and Hermione with him.

They hiked six blocks, Harry looking flustered and breathing loudly, until they reached a sign saying "SWORD STREET" in broad red letters.

"I wonder where-" Hermione began but Harry cut her off.

"We'll just have to look for ruins."

They made their way down the street, which was, if possible, even creepier than the town. All the streetlamps had burnt out, so the place was dark. All the houses were dilapidated. Hermione heard strange rustlings all around her and shivered. They past one old, but well kept looking house whose lights were on. A sign in front of it said "THIS WAS THE HOME OF BOWMAN WRIGHT: INVENTOR."

"Blimey!" Ron cried. "That's the man who invented the Golden Snitch!"

Harry looked in interest for half a second, but kept walking. Suddenly he stopped and his face drained of all color.

"What is it Harry?" Hermione whispered.

Harry pointed. Hermione looked ahead and saw a giant pile of ashy rubble with even scorch marks on the ground. As the trio moved closer they could make out a small sign. It read:

This was the home of Lily, James and Harry Potter.

-Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant filled with odd waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don't always like_-_ _A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Slippery Slope, By Lemony Snicket_


	4. Sibling Rivalry

Chapter 4

Sibling Rivalry

The three of them moved slowly towards the ruins. Hermione shot a furtive glance at Harry. She couldn't quite decipher the look on his face, but he was very pale. Suddenly, he tripped over something. Ron and Hermione both grabbed him before he fell. Harry picked up a large, lion shaped doorknocker, tarnished and burnt. There was a moment of silence at they stared at it.

"Er…" Ron cleared his throat. "So, what exactly are we looking for?"

"I dunno…" Harry said slowly. "A clue or something…"

They waded into the rubble and began to look. It didn't look like anyone had ever bothered to go through the despair, Harry soon uncovered a frame of what looked like a crib, burnt and actually bloodstained. It gave Hermione the chills as they all looked at it in silent wonder; they all knew it must have been the crib Harry had been laying in that night…

Hermione uncovered a broken picture frame, the picture inside it burnt almost to ash and completely unrecognizable. Several bits of fabric were found, even one that looked like it had snitches embroidered on it. Ron found what might have once been a book. They also found an almost fully intact cauldron, a journal unfortunately too burnt to read. Blood and hair was all spilt among the debris.

Hermione went over to an area none of them had checked yet and began shifting stuff. She saw something glint in the sun and reached for it. Her finger closed around something cool and metal. She pulled on it and the ground collapsed under her and she fell.

Screaming, she landed on the hard ground and rolled over.

"HERMIONE!" she heard both Harry and Ron cry out. Footsteps pounded above her and she saw both their faces peer down at her.

"Are you okay?" Ron gasped.

"I think so," Hermione said, stumbling up and rubbing her aching arm. She looked around. "It looks like a secret passage."

Harry and Ron jumped down, landing on their feet beside her.

Hermione pulled out her wand and muttered "Lumos!"

The room lit up. It was a cavernous hole with earthy walls. Before them lay a dark passage.

"Come on," Harry muttered.

They followed him down the passageway into a large gleaming room, full of cabinets and papers.

"What is this place?" Ron said in a wondering voice.

"I think Hermione's right. It's a secret passage…this must be where my parents kept…I dunno…important stuff."

Their footsteps echoed eerily in the room as they walked though it. Harry pulled some papers from a shelf. He flipped through it.

"Looks like it's written in code…" Harry said.

"Hey, I see your name," Ron said, examining a parchment.

"Where?" Harry looked over Ron's shoulder.

"Here…it's in code too though…Lily…. something something…. Harry…. something something…Voldemort…. some-why are you looking at me like that?" Ron snapped, seeing Harry and Hermione staring at him.

"It's just…that's the first time I've ever heard you say Voldemort," Hermione said.

"What-Blimey, I did!" Ron said looking surprised. "I was just reading and it…."

"Daily Prophet clippings," Harry said suddenly, pulling open a drawer.

"What about?" Hermione said.

"Just about Voldemort and stuff," Harry said rifling through it. He shoved the drawer back in place and looked around again. "We should just take all the papers out of here. That way, we can look over them on our way."

"Good idea," Hermione agreed, grabbing a stack of papers and stuffing them in her bag.

The three of them went around, snatching up as many papers as they could carry. It was Ron who found the Pensieve.

"Bloody hell!" he yelped jumping back to reveal a silver white glow coming from a giant bowl.

"No way," Harry said, his eyes going wide.

"Oh my gosh!" Hermione cried.

They all knelt around the Pensieve, staring down at the pure white liquid wind flowing inside it.

"Er…do either of you know what happens to…the memories inside the Pensieve when the people…die…" Harry said.

"They stay in the same state of suspended animation they were in previously," Hermione answered.

Harry drew out his wand and looked at Ron and Hermione, who nodded. Harry prodded the contents of the Pensieve and they swirled dramatically to reveal a house, pristine with red shutters standing tall on a sunny summers day.

Harry looked at Ron, who said, "We'll never know until we try," and Hermione, who after some thought, nodded reluctantly.

So they both grabbed one of Harry's arms and Harry plunged his head into the Pensieve.

Hermione was falling through darkness, then she landed hard on a sidewalk feet first. She stumbled dangerously, but Ron caught her.

"Where are we?" Harry muttered looking around. They looked to be on a normal street on a sunny day. Suddenly the door to the house in front of them opened and a girl who looked to be around seventeen, wearing a faded tie dyed T-shirt, pink shorts and a flower in her dark red hair, strode out the door. Hermione looked into the girl's eyes and gasped, they were the same shade of creepily bright green as Harry's.

"I'm not doing it," she called back through the door.

"But I really want to," someone's voice whined from inside the house.

"No. I am not going to let you make my sisters collection of stuffed animals come alive," the girl reprimanded, though her eyes were laughing.

"You take all the fun out of life," said a boy who sauntered through the door behind her. Hermione stared in wonder at the boy, who was almost like a mirror image of Harry, only slightly taller, with a longer nose, no scar and brown eyes.

"But seriously, this place is dead," Harry's dad exclaimed. "It needs some fun."

"Don't insult my hometown, James Potter," Lily said warningly. "Just because you get bored whenever you're not planning some stupid prank doesn't mean I don't enjoy a little quiet."

"If Sirius were here-" James began, but Lily cut him off.

"Thank God Sirius isn't here. Hanging 'round both of you idiots would send Petunia into a cardiac arrest."

"What is it with her anyway?" James said, flopping down on the grass.

"Nothing! She's just…well; she's a bit scared of magic. And…I don't know, Mum and Dad always pay more attention to me and…she tries so hard to please them."

Lily sighed and sat down next to James. "We get along sometimes. When we were little, we were always together…I'd get us on these wacky adventures and she'd always get mixed up in it…but after Hogwarts…things changed."

"I'm glad I'm a only child," James said, tearing up grass.

"I'm not. Maybe if you had a sibling you wouldn't be such a spoiled vain little-Hi Petunia," Lily craned her neck around as a horsy, gangly looking girl opened the door. She wore a pleated skirt and cardigan, though it was hot out and had frazzled wispy blonde hair.

"You're being loud," Petunia pointed out, reminding Hermione irresistibly of Percy. "I can't concentrate."

"Don't you ever stop studying?" James grumbled.

"Don't you ever stop being an idiot?" Petunia snapped. Lily snorted as James scowled.

"You've already gotten into a University, why are you studying?" Lily asked.

"To prepare," Petunia said primly. "I don't want to be behind when I start. Where are you two going anyway, now that you've graduated from Hogwash-"

"Hogwarts," James corrected.

"Whatever."

"We're thinking about being Aurors," Lily told her.

"What's an Auror?"

"They catch Dark Wizards. And there's a big one on the loose right now, they call him Voldemort-"

James raised his eyes skyward but otherwise did not react to the name being uttered.

"And he's gaining a lot of power, so they need all the Aurors they can get."

"And you think you can help?" Petunia said skeptically.

"Lily's really good," James snapped.

"And James got all O's in his NEWT's, as he is constantly reminding me," Lily sighed.

"I can't help being a genius."

"NEWT's are Wizarding Exams," Lily told Petunia who looked confused.

"Oh. Well, I don't see the appeal in that career, but it sounds like something you would do, Lily," Petunia said cuttingly. Then she paused for a second. "How powerful I _is _/I this Voldemort?"

"It's nothing to worry about-" Lily began but James cut in saying, "We'll be lucky if he doesn't kill us all. He's all kinds of people on his side, plus the Dementors and-"

"What are Dementors?" Petunia asked.

"They guard the wizard prison, Azkaban," James said.

"Voldemort won't affect you, Petunia. It'll be fine," Lily assured her.

"Kids! Dinnertime!" a voice rang out from inside the house. The kids jumped and looked upward at the sky. So did Harry, Ron and Hermione. Unbeknownst to them, while they were talking the sky had faded into the foggy pink of twilight.

"Time flies when you're chatting with Muggles," James yawned.

"You sound like Snape," Lily reprimanded him as they got up.

"I do not! Take that back."

Hermione could see Harry's face darken with anger at the mention of Snape, but they followed the memories into the house.

The three teenagers approached a magnificently set dinner table at which a man and woman awaited. The man was skeletally thin, with dark brown hair, while the woman had wispy blonde hair similar to Petunia's.

"We have roast turkey here, and for dessert we made peanut butter ice cream, Lily, honey, your favorite."

"Er, thanks mum, but Petunia's allergic to peanuts, remember?" Lily said gently.

"Oh…that's right…I forgot…" the woman said, glancing at Petunia. "Well, is it okay for you to skip dessert, Petunia dear?"

Petunia nodded, looking crestfallen.

"Well, dig in!" the father said jovially.

The Evans and James began to eat and the mother asked Lily, "So, tell me what your NEWT scores were again, dear?"

"Mum, I've already told you five times."

"Eight O's and four E's," James answered with his mouth full. "She wa' 'he bes', sides me, Sirius and 'emus."

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Potter," Lily said, nudging James playfully.

"Well, we're all very proud of you, Lily dear," Mrs. Evans said warmly. "You're a very talented witch."

"Er…speaking of which, Mum, Dad," Petunia cleared her throat. "I-I got an acceptance letter back from the university a couple of days ago."

There was a silence where her parents stared at her.

"What University?" Her father said in a confused way.

"The…The Branberry University for Young Women. I got a full scholarship. It's…very prestigious…." Petunia trailed off. "Surely, you remember…it's all I've been talking about for the past year…."

"No sorry," Mrs. Evans shook her head.

"Well, that's nice dear," Mr. Evans said indulgently. "Lily, do you want more turkey?"

"D-don't you even care?" Petunia seemed on the verge of tears.

"Perhaps some diced carrots?" Mr. Evans was still talking to Lily.

"DON'T YOU EVEN CARE?" Petunia screamed, jumping up.

"Petunia, what on earth-?" Mrs. Evans gasped.

"What job do I want?" Petunia asked her mother, breathing heavily.

"A maid?"

"WHAT?"

"You're so good at cleaning…"

"I want to be a doctor, mother! How many times have I said that? HOW MANY TIMES? Who's my boyfriend?"

"You have a boyfriend?"

"VERNON DURSLEY! HE'S BEEN OVER HERE TWICE! YOU IGNORED HIM BOTH TIMES!"

"Vernon DURSLEY is your boyfriend? That arsehole?" Lily said in disgust.

"Shut up, Lily!"

"Petunia, that wasn't nice! Apologize to your sister!"

"YOUR SISTER YOUR SISTER YOUR SISTER! THAT'S ALL I EVER HEAR! WHY CAN'T YOU BE MORE LIKE YOUR SISTER! THAT'S ALL I HEAR! PERFECT LILY! SHE'S A FREAK! WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE TO SEE THAT?"

"Petunia Evans! You apologize to you sister and her friend and march right up to your room and stay there for the rest of the night!" snapped Mrs. Evans.

"No," Petunia said.

"What?"

"NO! I'M LEAVING AND I'M NEVER LISTENING TO YOU AGAIN! GOODBYE!"

And with that, Petunia turned on her heel and stormed up the steps. Lily jumped up and ran after her, and James cried "Lily" and bounded up the stairs too. The three of them followed.

They found Petunia throwing clothes into a suitcase and dialing in a telephone at the same time.

"Vernon?" she cried, propping the phone on her shoulder. "Get over here! Now! Stop stammering like that, you idiot, just drive!"

She threw the phone down, threw several dresses in the suitcase and forced it closed.

"What are you doing?" Lily cried.

"I'm leaving with Vernon," Petunia snarled, pushing past Lily and trundling down the stairs.

"You can't just leave!"

"Why not? I doubt anyone will notice the difference."

She stormed past her parents out the front door, Lily and James hurrying after her.

"Look, if you want to leave, you can come stay with us, we've got a room at the Leaky Cauldron all set up, but don't go off with Dursley, you could get-"

"Don't you get it, Lily?" Petunia shrieked, spinning on her heel. "I want to GET AWAY from you! I'm tired of all this magic and freak stuff! I'm tired of you and your scruffy boyfriend and perfect Lily! Vernon loves me, Vernon is sane, Vernon is NORMAL!"

"Dursley? Normal? Ha, if being clinically insane and close-minded in normal, I guess you're right!" Lily snapped.

Petunia slapped Lily. Hard across the face. The sound echoed into the night and Hermione heard Harry and Ron gasp beside her.

"OY!" James said angrily, starting towards Petunia, but Lily had already pulled out her wand.

"Go ahead, curse me, you freak!" Petunia taunted, tears streaming madly down her face.

"I was only trying to help!" Lily screamed, her face screwed up in anger.

"I don't want your help!"

"Stop calling me a freak!"

"YOU ARE A FREAK! AND SO IS YOUR GODDAMN MORON BOYFRIEND!"

"DON'T YOU DARE INSULT JAMES!"

"YOU INSULTED VERNON!

A car pulled up and a young man with slicked up black hair, wearing a suit, stepped out.

"Vernon!" Petunia cried. She hugged him.

"You're making a mistake!" Lily cried.

"Is this your freaky sister?" Vernon snorted. "Why is she waving a bloody stick arou-ARRRGH!" Vernon shot through the air and down, bouncing on the sidewalk as sparks showered out of Lily's wand. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT ARE YOU, SOME KIND OF WITCH? STOP!"

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Petunia threw herself at her sister, scratching and kicking. James stepped forward to help, but Lily cried "Get out of it Potter!" and Petunia was blasted in the air with a flash of yellow light. She landed on the sidewalk, scrambled up, grabbed Vernon by the arm and screamed "I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN! I HATE YOU!"

"THE FEELING IS MUTUAL!" Lily screamed back.

With that, Petunia shoved Vernon into the car and said, "You know what? I'm NOT going to be a doctor. I only did it for them, anyway. Maybe I will be a maid."

And she slammed the car door and they sped away, leaving Lily and James standing there.

"Lily…" James said weakly.

"We're leaving," Lily said shortly and she stalked into the house, leaving a very confused James in her wake.

"There are secrets everywhere. I think everyone's parents have secrets. You just have to know where to look for them."-_Quigley Quagmire, The Slippery Slope, a Series of Unfortunate Events, by Lemony Snicket _


	5. Memory Lane

Chapter Five

Memory Lane

The world began to dissolve around them. Hermione looked over at her two best friends. Ron raised his eyebrows at her, shrugging. Harry's face was totally unreadable. He seemed to be digesting what he had just seen.

The world snapped back in focus and they were in a living room, where a red headed woman in her early twenties Hermione recognized as Lily sat at a table, looking over papers. Across from her sat a familiar person, looking very cross. Hermione let out a small gasp and felt a jolt as if of an electric shock go up her body. It was very odd and disturbing to see Sirius, who had been dead for two years, sitting in front of her. She looked fearfully at Harry, who took a step back, his eyes going a little wider.

"I always knew…" Sirius muttered, glowering at a newspaper. He was young and handsome, his hair short and clean, much different from the Sirius they had known. Though incredibly sulky, he did not look tired or haunted, did not have the shadows of Azkaban under his eyes.

"You did not," Lily snapped.

"I did! I always knew he would go bad!"

"So you made it your life's mission to taunt him?"

"Me? He's pathetic! Disgusting! Always picking a fight with us! A slimy little rat! Was I supposed to put up with that?"

"You would actively seek him out! Don't act like the victim here, Black."

"I can't believe you're defending him! After all those times he called you…you know…"

"I'm not defending him. I hate him. But if you knew, Sirius, that he was bad, you only made it worse. Even Slytherins have feelings. Don't pretend you didn't affect him."

Lily sounded tired. Sirius softened slightly.

"But a bloody Death Eater!"

"Yes…horrible. But Snape always was…like that."

"He's already killed people!"

"Generally, that's what Death Eaters do," Lily answered wearily.

"You okay?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah…I dunno…I feel sick…hope I'm not coming down with something."

"You and James work too hard."

"What, are we supposed to slack off-" Lily opened a letter scanned it and suddenly threw it down with such force that Sirius jumped.

"What?"

"I give up! She can rot in hell for all I care!"

"Who?" Sirius said puzzled. Then comprehension dawned. "Oh, your sister?"

"Yeah! God, she's such an…idiot! I SAID I was sorry! But she holds a damn grudge. She was like that even when we were little. And she MARRIED that Dursley pansy…."

"You married James," Sirius pointed out. "Always thought that was a lapse of judgment."

"You've never met Vernon Dursley. He was just like Snape, in primary school, only stupider. Closed minded…. completely against anything fun…womanizer…I punched him once…"

Sirius snorted. "Ouch. What did he do?"

"Beat up on this poor chap…he was always a bully…bulky, with no neck, think his head was attached to his shoulders…was tiny kid, like six, and we were in fifth form…so I said get off…and he wouldn't…so I said something, and he said something that made me mad, and I punched him. Petunia didn't pay much heed to him at the time, but she kept reprimanding me that punching people wasn't ladylike…" Lily looked lost in memories for a second. "She was bright, but now she's a housewife. Always thought she'd cure cancer or something like that. She loved science and math. Always liked cold hard facts, nothing fanciful…and now she's a bitch." Lily suddenly said forcefully. "And I'm through with her rude replies. She's not my sister anymore."

"Well, I can relate to that," Sirius said lazily. "I pretend I was found abandoned in a shed and some cute old lady raised me. Everyone in my family is cracked. 'cept Andromeda. Her, and me we were flukes. My parents were the worst."

"Yeah, mine were okay, except they completely ignored Petunia. Died last year in a airplane crash," She told Sirius. "Petunia didn't bother to come to their funeral." She gritted her teeth. "Let's talk about Voldemort, it makes me less angry than talking about my family.

"Once again, I can relate," Sirius sang. "Well, we have an Order meeting tonight….'bout Snivellus, I think…Goddamnit, I'd crush his skull if I could-James!"

He greeted a forlorn looking James Potter who flopped down in a chair and conjured himself some coffee. He sighed and declared, "This is all my fault." Hermione was reminded forcefully at Harry.

"What?"

"Snape."

"Don't be stupid," Lily snapped.

"Hey! You were just telling me…"

"Shut up, Sirius. You had nothing to do with Snape's decision. It was his choice, James."

James did not look reassured. "If I had been nicer…"

"It would have been the same. Snape was messed up before he ever met you!"

"Yeah! Anyway, I did it too," Sirius assured him.

"If you say so."

"I do. Ugh!" Lily clutched at her stomach.

"What's up?"

"Nothing…. just…uh…. uh oh," Lily's eyes went wide.

"What?"

"I gotta check something," Lily rushed out of the room.

Sirius and James looked at each other and shrugged.

"Women," Sirius muttered.

Suddenly a cry escaped from down the hall. "JAMES! I'M PREGNANT!"

The memory began to dissolve. Ron wrinkled his nose. "Gross. Harry that must've been you."

"Unless I have a long lost sibling I don't know about."

"That was gross. I really didn't need to hear that conversation."

"Shut up, Ron."

"New memory," Hermione said, poking them.

They were in a dark room. Suddenly the door opened and James and Lily eased in.

"Be careful," James muttered as Lily lit her wand.

"I'm not an idiot."

"Oh, stop it, Lily. Whose house is this?"

"They said it was Edgar Bones."

"Of course. They want to take out all the Bones. Powerful wizarding family."

"Where do you suppose they are?"

Suddenly they heard a noise. Harry Ron and Hermione all jumped, as did Lily and James.

"Who's there?" James called out.

There was silence. Then someone stepped out of the dark.

Hermione screamed, even though she knew it was a memory and he couldn't hurt her. Ron made an odd choking noise. Harry looked slightly surprised, but observed the man coolly.

"Oh, shit…" James hissed as Lily grabbed his arm.

Standing before them was Lord Voldemort, just as terrifying as Harry had always described him.

"Lily and James Potter," Voldemort said coolly. Then he shot a Killing Curse at them.

James pulled Lily out of the way and shot his own spell at Voldemort, who easily sidestepped it. Lily muttered in terrified whisper, "We have to get out…we can't fight him, and Edgar is probably already dead.

"We can't leave…"

"James, there's a fine line between bravery and stupidity!"

"Fine!"

And the two dodged another Killing curse, then Dissaperated in a swirl of air, leaving Voldemort's spell to connect with nothing.

A new memory came, it was of the Potters, and two people Hermione recognized with a shock as Neville's parents, with fuller faces and healthier hair, full of life. They were tense in a dark room.

"Are you sure it's here?" Lily whispered.

"Yes," Neville's father answered. "About…"

"Here," Neville's mother, Alice, extracted a parcel.

"Good," James said. "Now let's get back before-"

"Leaving so soon?" A voice hissed.

The four adults turned to face a Death Eater with a hooded face. The servant of Voldemort shot a spell at them, which they all scattered to dodge. Soon the room was filled with Death Eaters and spells flew everywhere shot from all sides.

The foursome managed to escape down a passage, but a voice stopped them. "Leaving so soon?"

For the second time, Hermione saw Voldemort's ghastly face loomed in the dark. "I believe you have something that belongs to me."

"Not anymore," Lily said and the four of them shot out a side passage. What happened next was a cycle of spells and screams and Voldemort chasing them while they dodged and finally they were out in open air and a spell grazed Voldemort and he was stopped for a second and the four adults escaped in a blaze of spells.

The next memory came so abruptly Hermione saw Voldemort's evil face leering at her before she was ready for it and jumped back. Lily and James were crumpled on the floor and Voldemort raised his wand, saying "You cannot escape me this time," when order members shot in from everywhere and Hermione recognized briefly Hagrid and Moody and even Dumbledore and saw Lily and James fighting until someone carted them off and the memory dissolved into dust.

In the new memory, Lily and James sat in their living room, staring at a small child in Lily's arms.

"Harry!" Hermione whispered. "That's you!"

"Yeah," Harry breathed.

"Lets test his reflexes," James said.

"He's two days old, he doesn't have reflexes!" Lily groaned.

"I bet he's a seeker. You can tell. He's small anyway. That helps. He has to be a Seeker. He's my son."

"Honestly…."

James waved a finger in front of Harry's face. The small baby, who already had some fine black hair, merely stared at him.

"Stop it!" Lily cried.

"Okay, okay…" James sat down beside Lily. "He's cute, isn't he?"

"He looks like you."

"That's why he's cute."

"Oh, shut up."

"Hey, don't his eyes look green?"

"A little."

"Bet he has your eyes."

"Well, he's two days old. You can't really tell ye-"

Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door.

"Wonder who that is…" James went to answer the door.

Dumbledore stepped in looking grave.

"Hello, Lily, James."

"Albus! What a surprise!" Lily cried, scooting over, so Dumbledore could sit on the Couch beside her.

"Can I get you a drink?" James asked.

"No thank you, James. Ah, so this is Harry…"

"Yes," Lily said proudly, holding up her child. "He looks like James, doesn't he?"

"Ah, yes, indeed," Dumbledore said, stroking Harry's cheek. "Very much."

"So what brings you here, Albus?" James asked, settling down.

"Actually…I need to talk to you about Harry," Dumbledore said slowly.

"What about?" Lily said looking confused.

"He is in terrible danger…"

"What…?"

"There was a prophecy made," Dumbledore said quickly. "And a servant of Voldemort's heard it. I was present as well. It said that the one who could defeat Lord Voldemort would be born on the last day in July…to parents who had thrice defied the Dark Lord.

Lily clapped a hand to her mouth. "Oh my God…Harry….?"

"Yes. Or Frank Longbottom's son. Neville. He was born on the same day."

Hermione and Ron both shot a look at Harry. He hadn't told them about this aspect of the Prophecy. He mouthed "later" and reluctantly; they turned away, Hermione's heart beating fast.

"So…Voldemort…?"

"I believe he will come back to Harry next. So you need to be put into hiding."

"The Fidelius Charm…" James said.

"Precisely. You will need a Secret Keeper…"

"Sirius," James said swiftly.

"Are you sure? I would gladly-"

"We trust Sirius," James said firmly. Lily nodded.

Dumbledore looked at them for an instant.

"Well…we shall discuss it later. I am going to drop you off at the Order Headquarters for now, then go alert the Longbottom's. I shall give you a moment to get ready."

Dumbledore left the room, leaving Lily and James alone.

"Harry…" Lily's voice cracked.

"It'll be fine, Lily," James said. "No one's going to hurt Harry."

Lily looked at the baby, now asleep in her arms.

"He doesn't look like he could bring about the fall of Voldemort," James said softly.

"Everyone was a baby once…he looks helpless now…" Lily whispered. "What if it's Harry? The Chosen One? Not Neville…sooner or later…Voldemort…. we can't protect him forever…"

"We'll face it when it comes. Maybe it is Neville. Come on. No use worrying about this now."

"I don't want this for him, James," Lily whispered. "I don't want him hurt. I don't want him in danger."

"Everyone's in danger right now, Lily," James said, putting his arm around her.

"I suppose," Lily said softly. "All right. Come on."

And they left the room, closing the door behind them, the light slowly fading into darkness. Hermione didn't look at Harry's face. She didn't want to see the pain on it, or even worse, the blank unreadable expression she had grown so used too. She could feel Ron squeeze her hand. She squeezed it back, feeling a tingle go slowly up her arm.

She looked on as another memory came, the house dissolving and they were in the same living room, only it looked different somehow, and though no one looked that much older, they did seem to be.

Lily was sitting with her feet propped up on a chair, nursing the baby Harry. Peter Pettigrew, Lupin, Sirius and James were around her.

Lupin looked at his watch. "I have to go."

"Why?" Sirius said suddenly.

Lupin raised his eyebrows at Sirius.

"Full moon tomorrow. I'm going to sleep."

"He was really quiet tonight," Sirius said after Lupin had left.

"He's always quiet," James said airily.

"And he looked strange…"

"He's going to turn into a monster tomorrow night," Lily reminded him.

Finally, dropping all pretenses, Sirius said, "I think Lupin's the spy."

"WHAT?"

"He's acting so strange lately."

"Sirius, we've been best mates with him since…" James began but Sirius cut him off, "Look, maybe I shouldn't be the Secret Keeper. I think Peter should do it."

"Huh?" James said.

"Wha-?" Peter sputtered.

"Remus KNOWS I'm your Secret Keeper. If he is a spy…"

"Sirius…"

"Look, someone's the spy. Even if it isn't Remus, it's OBVIOUS you would make me secret keeper. I'd never betray you, but there's ways Voldemort could get it out of me! No one will suspect Peter. It's the perfect bluff."

"I guess you're right…" James said. "Lily?"

"If Peter agrees," Lily said.

"I do," Peter said eagerly.

"Okay…fine. Sirius, Peter, join hands," James said reluctantly.

They did and Lily and James got up, Lily placing Harry gently on the couch. They pulled out their wands.

"We bequeath our secret to Peter Nealan Pettigrew," the couple said together. Peter and Sirius's had began to glow silver.

"I transfer this secret," Sirius whispered.

"I accept." Peter said.

The hands spread out a white light and Peter's eyes glowed briefly. Then the light went out and the four of them were left, standing there.

Suddenly, Hermione felt something pull her into darkness and she was screaming as she whizzed through the air. Then she landed on hard concrete, next to Harry and Ron, the Pensieve glowing before them.

"Whoa," Ron gasped. Harry's face was as white as chalk. Hermione pushed her own hair out of her face.

"I guess that was all the memories," she said.

She stumbled up to standing position and helped Ron help Harry up; he was shaking all over.

"You okay?" she asked as Ron handed him his bag.

"Yeah," Harry said automatically, stomping the floor in an effort to stop his knees shaking. "I'm fine."

Hermione didn't believe him, but didn't press the matter; she had learned that wasn't best to do with Harry.

"That was weird," Ron said.

"Yeah," Harry said again."

They stood there for a minute until abruptly Harry said. "Come one, let's get the rest of this stuff."

The gathered up all of the papers and books they could find, Harry stuffing it all in as quickly as possible. As soon as they were done, he strode out the passageway quickly. Shrugging at Hermione, Ron followed. Hermione adjusted a book in her hand, and noticed a ring on the floor. It was gold with a green skull on it. Hermione found this slightly sinister and wondered if she should bring it to Harry's attention.

"Harry," she called. "Harry!"

But he was too far ahead of her to hear. So with a sigh, she shoved the ring in the pocket of her jeans and followed them through the dark passageway,

"There are no safe choices in life. Only different ones."-_ A Great and Terrible Beauty _ By Libba Bray


	6. Grave Encounter

Chapter Six

Grave Encounter

Harry, Ron and Hermione set up camp in a wood near the neighborhood. Hermione started the fire as Ron and Harry conjured up tents. The flames burned in Hermione's eyes like lasers, dancing nastily. Through the crack in the fire, she saw Harry crouch down, staring blankly ahead.

"I'm starving!" Ron announced, breaking Hermione out of her reverie. "What's for eating?"

Hermione rummaged through her bag and found the large box holding Mrs. Weasleys food with a refrigeration charm. "How's chicken grab you?"

In response, Ron grabbed a chicken leg and began to tear at it. She handed one to Harry, who took a small bite in a mechanical sort of way.

"Well, um, that was interesting wasn't it?" Hermione said nervously.

"Yeah," Harry said. "Yeah it was."

"I can't believe your mum punched your uncle," Ron snorted.

Harry cracked a smile at this. "Would've liked to see that."

"Wouldn't we all?" Hermione said wryly.

"Didn't find out too much though," Harry noted.

"There's probably something in the papers," Ron said through a mouthful of chicken.

Harry went over and gathered some papers. He looked at them for a while. "I can't make head or tails of this. Hermione, you're the problem solver, you try."

He plunked the papers in Hermione's lap. She scanned over the letters, looking for some sort of pattern, trying to remember all the books she'd read. Eventually, something clicked.

"It's the Hobgoblin Code!" She explained.

"Wha-"

"A code invented by Pesuis Placardia in 1602 to pass on important information to a general that turned out to be something regarding him and his lover, it has been used in many forms by wizards due to the charm that allows only the person it's meant to find see what it really says. Any outsider will have to break the code using intense mathematic and deductive skill and complex spell work." Hermione said in one breath.

Harry and Ron stared at her.

"Do you remember EVERYTHING you read?" Ron asked.

"You can do it can't you?" Harry asked. "Break the code? You're good at that sort of stuff."

"I'll try," Hermione sighed. "It'll probably take forever though."

"Just see what you can do. Maybe if we see the Order again, we'll ask them to help."

"All right. And for the record, Ron, yes, I do."

They spent the rest of the night with Hermione working on the code with Harry looking over it too, until Hermione said she was breaking her concentration. Finally, they went to bed, Hermione in a separate tent from Harry and Ron. She tried to sleep, but too many thoughts went through her mind and she started working on the code again in the solitude of her tent. Around midnight, she heard rustling outside and peeked through the crack in her tent flap to see Harry walk away into the dark. She snuck out and shook Ron's tent until she heard a muffled yelp.

"Get up, Ron, Harry's going somewhere."

Ron moaned and crawled out of the tent. "What-? Hermione, he's probably just gone to take a leak or something."

"Don't be disgusting, Ron. Come on."

Ron grabbed her arm to lift himself up and Hermione felt the familiar warm tingle she got whenever he touched her. She couldn't help smiling as he rubbed his eyes and said, "Alright, alright, I'm up. But if you walk in on him taking a leak, don't blame me."

"Ron! Stop putting bad images in my mind!"

They walked quickly along the path and soon heard rustling up ahead.

"It's him," Hermione hissed. "Try not to make any noise."

They crept along behind Harry, who was rubbing his neck in an annoyed fashion, all the way into the neighborhood. Harry seemed to wander around aimlessly for a while and just as Ron whispered something about him probably just taking a walk, Harry said, "There it is," and turned into a small graveyard.

"Oh…" Hermione said with understanding. "He's going to look at his parents graves."

They followed Harry into the graveyard. He walked along, scanning the graves and finally stopped at one. He looked around, but Hermione and Ron were already hidden behind a large tombstone. Harry crouched down, staring at the graves. He didn't cry. Harry rarely cried. In fact, Hermione couldn't remember ever seeing him cry, except at Dumbledore's funeral, and even then, she hadn't been sure, as he looked away. He just stared at it, biting his lip.

"Maybe we should go," Hermione whispered.

"I think we should stay," Ron whispered back. "Just, you know, to make sure everything's okay."

Hermione nodded. It was heartbreaking to watch her best friend stare at his parent's graves as if hypnotized and she didn't want to leave him alone, even if he thought he was anyway.

Harry sat there, for maybe a half hour, then took a deep breath and got up. He crossed his arms uncertainly and finally said, "Goodbye." Then he turned and trudged away.

Ron and Hermione stood there for a moment.

"I kind of want to see-" Ron said.

"Me too," Hermione agreed.

So they padded over to where Harry had sat, next to two small tombstones.

One said "Lily Evans Potter: Loving Mother, Courageous Woman," while the other said, "James Potter: Devoted Father, Strong Protector," along with the years and both had in small letters: _they looked death squarely in the eye and sacrificed all they had for the one they loved. Rest In Peace. _

Hermione shivered and Ron put his arm around her. She rejoiced in the warmth he provided and leaned her head on his shoulder, which really didn't require her to move it much. They spent a few minutes in silence before Ron said, "Oh, shit, I have to get back before Harry does!"

So they scrambled through a short cut in the woods and were barely seated by the fire when Harry arrived, claiming they had woken up in the night and gone out to get some warmth.

The next day, Harry, looking rather pale from his late night said, "Okay, we need to get down to it. We have to figure out where the Horcruxes are."

There was a brief silence.

"So, um, where the hell are the Horcruxes?" Ron asked.

"I have no idea," Harry admitted.

"Maybe you do," Hermione said suddenly. "Voldemort put the Horcruxes in places of his past before right? Hogwarts, the Gaunts, the Cave…. all places Dumbledore showed you from Voldemort's past. So what we need to do is list all the places Voldemort went that we know of."

"Brilliant!" Ron said as Hermione got out a piece of paper.

"Okay, so list every place you know of."

"Well…" Harry said, "It all started in Little Hangleton…then Voldemort was born in that Orphanage…what was it called…" Harry screwed up his eyes in memory. "I don't think it had a name!"

"That's all right," Hermione said, marking the list. "We know a Mrs. Cole worked there, and that Tom Marvolo Riddle was registered and it was in London, I'm sure we'll be able to find it…"

"Okay…then he went to Hogwarts…and he'd go back to the Orphanage on summers and…he went to the Gaunts once…then he worked for Borgin and Burkes…and went to Mrs. Smiths house…. then he quit and that's about it I think."

Hermione read out the list.

_Little Hangleton_

_Orphanage_

_Hogwarts_

_Borgin and Burkes_

_Mrs. Smith's House_

"Alright then, we should check all those places."

"It's probably not in Little Hangleton, because Dumbledore already got one in there, right?" Ron said.

"Yeah, but it wouldn't hurt to check, and we might find out some stuff to help us even if there is no Horcrux."

"Okay then," Hermione said, taking a deep breath. "Let's go to Little Hangleton."

"Everybody has talent. What's rare is to follow that talent to the dark place it leads,"-Erica Jong


	7. Gauntlets

Chapter Seven

GAUNTlets

Harry, Ron and Hermione arrived just outside Little Hangleton. They looked down at the bustling town.

"So," Ron cleared his throat. "Errr, where do we start?"

"We have the Riddle House," Harry said slowly. "And the Graveyard. It wouldn't hurt to take a look at the Gaunts. We'll check around the general town area too. See if the people know anything. We'll spend a day or so, then we head for a more likely place."

"Sounds like a plan," Hermione said.

They trekked down the hill into the heart of the town. It was rather small, which Hermione expected from the name, and everyone seemed to notice immediately they were not from around here. They all eyed them suspiciously. Feeling uncomfortable, Hermione hurried her friends into the nearest building. They stood in a pub.

"Good call, Hermione," Harry said. "Everyone always talks in pubs."

"Um, do they?" Hermione said. She followed Harry and Ron up to the nearest counter.

"Er, Hi," Harry said.

The barman stared at them.

"Do your girl thing," Ron muttered to Hermione.

"Do my what?"

"You know, your thing. Where you act all innocent and girly and lie and flatter people and stuff. Like you always do. Only don't botch it up like you did last time."

"Well, if I'm so incompetent, you do it then!"

"You have to be a GIRL. You know that."

"Well, seeing as I'm the only one here who fits that requirement, you'd better not complain!"

Harry nudged Hermione impatiently and Hermione took a deep breath and slid on the stool, languishing glamorously, her fingers tracing the outline of her jaw.

"I'll have a soda, please," Hermione said.

The barman got her some, and she gave him the money.

"I've never seen you before," the barman said gruffly.

"Oh, I'm new around here," Hermione said innocently, batting her eyes.

"Oh? What be your name?"

"Lavender," Hermione said, saying the first name that came to her mind. "And my friends here are…Seamus and Dean. We're terribly lost."

"Ay? What are you lookin' for?"

"We-elllll…." Hermione said, twirling a strand of hair round her finger. " I'm related to someone who used to live here…do you know anything about the Riddles?"

The barman's face darkened. "Aye. Word around here is that they were right snobs."

"Oh, I know!" Hermione said earnestly. "Our family is quite ashamed of that. But, I do want to find out a bit about them. I hear they were murdered?"

"Aye. It's quite a legend."

"Could you tell it to us?" Harry asked.

"Do you want sumthin' more to drink?" the barman asked, despite the fact Hermione hadn't touched her soda. Harry paid him and he bought another for them and sat back to tell them.

"Aye…well, the Riddles, they were pretty rich. Nobody liked 'em that much see? There was quite a scandal with the son, Tom and a young lady who lived in a broken down shack right near here. Her family was a bit off, and excusing you, miss, but she was a right ugly lady. So everyone was quite surprised when Tom went off ta marry her. But he came back, spoutin' that she had tricked him, we all reckon she tol' him she had a baby inner and he married her for that, but turned ou' she was lying, ya know? Still doesn't say much about Mr. Tom's character, doing all that hanky panky out of wedlock. I'm tellin' ya miss, don't e'er do that till your married."

"Yeah, Lavender," Ron smirked.

"Yes, well, how did they get murdered?" Hermione said impatiently.

"Getting to it, ain't I? Anyway, abou' sixteen years after Riddle came back, the maid come in one morning and finds 'em dead in the living room. Jus' dead. No sign of a break in at all. Which of course means everyone to think its Frank, the caretaker."

"Did you say Frank?" Harry said suddenly. "Is it Frank Bryce?"

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Errrr…read something in the paper."

"Aw, right. I'll get to that. But anyway, Frank was the only one with keys to the apartment. Lived in a shack near the house. So we take him in for questioning, and he denies it flat out. We were ready to throw 'em in jail, but then these medical reports come back and say, the Riddles were in perfect health. You know, except they was dead. No sign of foul play at all. And they weren't old, mind you, the son Tom was in his thirties. So we let ol' Frank go. An' he just continued to stay in 'is shack. Tends the flowers and stuff. The place is breakin' down, bu' someone still owns it for tax reasons."

"What tax reasons?" Harry asked.

"Hell if I know, 'scuse me, miss. But here's the mysterious part. About three years ago, we find old Frank dead too." The man lowered his voice for dramatic effect. "_In the exact place the Riddles died._ And like the Riddles, he in perfect health. 'cept for his leg, he got it shot in World War II. But we figure it was old age, 'e was getting up there. But no sign otherwise, and it's odd isn' it? Wha' was he doin' up there? The fire'd been goin' too. Makes ya think. I wonder if 'e really did kill 'em, ya know. 'e had a hard life, Frank. Maybe we oughta have been kinder to him."

"Yeah," Ron muttered.

"Had anything else odd happened?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, actually. Not long after Franks death there was a disturbance in the graveyard, near the Riddle's graves. In the mornin' we find the sons grave all dug up and a bunch of graves around it all cracked. Blood smeared all over the ground and someone retched all over the ground." Harry shifted uncomfortably next to Hermione. "Plus a bit of black fabric torn on one of the graves. Figure it's vandals, but odd ain't it? 'Specially since no one was bleedin' the next day. We checked. Plus, old man came round two years ago arou' town. Really weird looking, long beard and this mad suit. And after he left, we discovered the Gaunt House in ruins. Ya know that was the house that Riddle's ugly lover lived in?"

"I see," Hermione said. "Anything else?"

"Seen a couple odd characters in cloaks. I mean, who wears cloaks anymore? 'Sides Lord of the Rings fanatics, that is. But never doin' nothing. Just in and out, like they are checkin' up on us."

"Any glimpse of their faces?"

"Nope."

"Well, then if that's all, thanks." Harry said, getting up to leave.

"Wait!" Hermione said suddenly. "Who owns the Riddle House right now?"

"Fellow called Lucius Malfoy."

"WHAT?" Harry, Ron and Hermione said together.

"Yeah, weird name, right? Haven't seen him lately though. He's a snob just like the Riddles, lemme tell ya."

"Uh, yeah," Harry gasped. "Okay then…um, where's the Riddle House?"

"On that hill over yonder. Wouldn't go there if I was you, though. It's cursed."

"We're quite experienced with curses." Hermione said firmly. "Thanks again."

As they got out of the bar, Ron said, "Good one, Hermione."

Hermione smiled, it was rare to get a compliment from Ron besides "You're the smartest person in the world, please do my homework for me?"

"So Lucius Malfoy owns the Riddle House," Harry said slowly.

"Voldemort must have told him to look after it, like the Diary. Seems like Malfoy was the most trusted Death Eater before he blew it," Hermione said.

"And they say You-Know-Who is supposed to be smart," Ron mumbled. "I wouldn't trust any of the Malfoys if you paid me."

"So we'd best check out the Riddle House, I suppose," Hermione said nervously.

"Yeah," Harry said, leading the way.

They trekked up the hill until the reached a crumbling old mansion. Next to it was a shack at the edge of a very overgrown garden.

"Lets see the shack first, we're closer," Ron said. Harry and Hermione nodded and they looked in the shack. It was very small, with a stove and hot water bottle and a cramped bed. No telephone, Hermione noted.

"Poor man," she murmured, running her fingers over countless rows of dusty overalls. "Blamed for a murder he didn't commit."

"Murdered by the man that framed him," Harry agreed.

"How many waistcoats can one man OWN?" Ron wondered aloud.

"Well, there's nothing here," Harry said.

"Besides this really cool pipe," Ron said.

"Put it DOWN, Ron," Hermione snapped.

"Okay! I wasn't gonna take it!"

When they reached the mansion, Hermione touched the doorknob and the door fell over.

"Why was this place supposed to be so hard to break into?" Ron muttered as they walked in.

Hermione sneezed as dust wafted in the air. The whole place reminded her of a crumbling abandoned temple, it's majesty broken by the toll of time and absence of care.

"Okay, we need to fan out and see if we can find anything," Harry said.

They split up. Hermione searched the living room, getting down on her hands and knees to look under couches and what not. The whole living room was done in a very classic style, with giant fireplaces and old rocking chairs and armchairs. Dust spread over it all like a blanket. This must have been where the Riddle's died, because Hermione found some old police tape. Other than that, she located nothing.

She met Harry and Ron back near the entrance, they hadn't found anything either. They went upstairs to search as well. They stumbled across what appeared to be Tom Riddle Seniors bedroom.

"The lair of the snob himself, huh?" Ron said, looking at the dusty books and old bed that hadn't been touched in years. Harry opened the drawers to look for anything suspicious, but Hermione was intrigued by an old red journal that lay on a bedside table. She opened it to read: _ Diary of Thomas Alfred Riddle  
_

_"_Hey, you two, I've found the original Tom Riddle's diary!" she called.

Harry and Ron rushed over.

"Check to see if there's anything about Merope or any of it," Harry urged.

"Right," Hermione flipped through the pages until she reached a likely looking passage.

"This is odd, Listen: ' _It's impossible. This can't be happening! How could that barbarian do it? The boils on my face sting and burn, the oaf made them appear as if by magic, waving a bloody stick about and they just-'/I _And then it's cut off, and a little ways down he writes again-I '_How odd. What is that writing from before? I cannot make any sense of it. I don't remember anything about boils on my face-my face feels fine. I must have written this when I was half asleep. I probably had a bad dream.' _What do you make of that?"

"He must have written that when Morfin cursed him, remember I told you in one of the memories Dumbledore showed me Morfin was to be taken to a hearing for cursing Riddle? And then when he was writing that, they must of obliviated him and wiped his face!" Harry exclaimed. "Is there anything else?"

Hermione flipped further on. Suddenly there were gushing entries about Merope's beauty and tales of her piety and generosity. They got married and escaped "the town which rejects or love so". One of the entries made the three of them gasp.

_Today I received a gift from my kind, beautiful, generous spouse. She presented me with a pair of gauntlets she claims belonged to a famous wizard called "Griffin-door". She says that he gave him to his best friend "Slither-in" who is her ancestor, so they have been a secret heirloom in her family for ages, though they are valuable, her family loathed Griffindoor for his betrayal of Slitherin and no one outside the family knew of the gauntlets until now. She, in her unfailing kindness, has bestowed them to me. They are beautiful, though not nearly as much as her, with a magnificent lion seal. I shall always keep them close to my heart as they are a gift from my most beloved."_

"No way," Harry gasped.

"A possession of Gryffindor Dumbledore didn't know about!" Ron cried.

"Amazing," Hermione muttered.

"Where are they? We have to find out!" Harry urged.

Hermione frantically flipped forward in the journal until she found a sentence.

_I have placed those hideous gauntlets the lying wench forced upon me in the back of my closet. The damn things will never see the light of day again._

"The closet!" Ron cried and they ran to the wardrobe, frantically searching it, throwing everything out in their haste, but the gauntlets were not there.

"Where can they be?" Hermione gasped.

"Search the rest of the room!" Harry cried.

They did so, positively dismantling Riddle's room, but they did not unearth the ancient artifact.

"If they're not here," Harry gasped, "Then where are they?"

Hermione went back to the journal and flipped through it again. She noticed something she hadn't before. The entry revealing the gauntlets location was ripped at the bottom as if someone had thrown it down in haste upon reading it. "Voldemort," she muttered.

"What?"

"After killing his family, Voldemort must have searched the place like we have. He would have found the journal and taken the gauntlets."

"Which means…" Ron said

"The gauntlets are a Horcrux now," Harry said grimly.

"There are many things that we would throw away if we were not afraid others might pick them up."-Oscar Wilde


	8. Centered and Sane

Chapter Eight

Centered and Sane

After their discovery they searched the Gaunts to be safe. It was nothing but old ruins. They checked out the main town as well, finding nothing but more suspicious looks, then finally the Graveyard.

Hermione was cautious about bringing Harry in the graveyard. The description of the damage to the graveyard by the bartender had reminded her it was in this very town her best friend had been kidnapped, tortured and tied up as Voldemort rose from the undead. Where Cedric Diggory had died. She could still remember how Harry had looked returning from that, clutching Cedric's body and the days that had followed. She didn't want Harry to have to go in there. She shared an uneasy look with Ron, who looked concerned as well. Harry didn't miss it and glared at both of them. They stopped outside the edge of the place. Harry leaned against the iron gate, staring blankly in.

"I really don't think there is anything in there," Hermione said.

"Yeah, we should skip it," Ron said nonchalantly.

"There might be some kind of clue," Harry said in a monotone.

"Why? I mean, what kind of clue could there possibly be?" Hermione said nervously.

"You agreed that we should check everywhere," Harry said, pushing the gate open.

The graveyard exuded an eerie silence as they ventured into it. Hermione looked around, but saw nothing but head stones.

Harry led them to a large gravestone cracked directly down the middle. It read "TOM RIDDLE". Near it was burnt circle in the earth. Harry stood there, staring at the gravestone for a second. Then suddenly, he started shaking really badly. He wrapped his arms tightly around himself to hide it and backed quickly away from the grave, stumbling slightly. "YouknowwhatyoutwoarerightIdontseeanythingLet'sgo," he said very quickly, his breathing shallow.

He turned around and began walking very fast and Ron and Hermione were forced to jog to catch up with him.

"Harry, are you all right?" Hermione gasped.

"Fine, let's just get out of here," Harry muttered, pushing the gate open. "This place is…creepy."

He closed the gate behind him, muttering to himself "It's okay…it's okay…it's okay…"

Hermione looked at Ron, who shrugged, and they hurried to catch up with him before he walked too far away.

That night as they set up camp outside Little Hangleton, Hermione wrote another letter to her parents.

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_Hello! We've left Harry's Mum and Dad's house, and are now officially on the hunt. We found some papers and some information about Voldemort, but not much otherwise. I hope you two are doing all right. We've set up camp now, Ron's making dinner (God help us all), Harry and I set up the tents. I've just written a letter to Ginny, she's probably worried and Ron's useless when it comes to letter and Harry is too nervous to write to her, so I suppose it's up to me. Harry's a bit upset right now, I think, though he'd never admit it, he's been a bit shaken up ever since we got to Godric's Hollow and today didn't help much, he was in a place he'd rather forget (sorry to be so ambiguous) and I TRIED to stop him, but honestly, he's so stubborn. Crookshanks had fun roaming while we were off searching; he brought a lot of dead spiders and is making a point to eat them in front of Ron, I think, because Ron hates that. Oh, here comes Ron now. I can tell he burnt dinner, even though he just had to CONJURE it, honestly, now he's trying to get me to make it. Now he's trying to read the letter to see if I've written anything bad about him, so I just elbowed him in the stomach and now he's whining that I gave him a bruise. Well, I imagine you don't want a play by play of me abusing Ron, so I'll just sign off now._

_I love you both and I'll write again soon. Don't worry about me._

_Love from,_

Hermione. 

"Ron, honestly, I'm finished, you can stop trying to read."

"I was NOT whining."

"You were whimpering. How can you burn sandwiches anyway?"

"It's Harry's fault. He bumped me and I dropped them in the fire."

"It's all right, I made dinner," Harry called. He gave them their sandwiches.

"See, Harry knows how to cook," Hermione admonished.

"Loads of practice with the Dursleys," Harry said, biting into his ham sandwich. "So, we leave for Borgin and Burkes tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Hermione said

"What if we don't find a Horcrux in any of these places?" Ron asked.

"We'll figure something out," Hermione sighed.

"We know where the snake is at least," Ron said.

"No we don't, because we don't know where Voldemort is," Harry reminded them.

"The Order will figure that one out," Ron said confidently.

Hermione checked her watch, "Wow!"

"What?"

"It's September 1rst! Hogwarts has started!"

"If it's open," Harry said.

"That's right, I wonder if it is," Ron pondered.

"We could pick up the Daily Prophet somewhere," Harry mused.

"Or the Quibbler, if we want a reliable source," Ron said.

"The sad thing is you're actually serious," Hermione sighed, poking the fire.

"I'm always serious," Ron yawned.

"And I'm the Queen of England," Hermione snorted.

"And I'm going to bed," Harry announced. "'Night."

"Harry, it's six P.M."

"I have a headache, so I'm turning in. See ya." Harry climbed in the tent.

Hermione watched the tent flap close. "I tried to get him not to go in the graveyard."

"Yeah, you did," Ron said solemnly.

"I don't like this, Ron," Hermione shivered. "I hate this whole thing. He thinks he has to be alone, but he doesn't! And we've got that stupid Prophecy hanging over our heads, and why does it have to be him? Us? We're seventeen Ron, well, I'm almost eighteen, but we're kids! It shouldn't have to be this way!"

"It's okay, Hermione, he's not alone, we're here," Ron said. "And we're staying, no matter what."

"I know," Hermione muttered. "But he doesn't."

"He does, it'll just take a while," Ron said. "It doesn't matter."

Hermione grunted in frustration. "I wish we could just…be together…and just be friends and have fun, nothing else. All I ever wanted was for everything to be okay for us. Just, to be normal, it's all he ever wanted too, I know."

Ron put his hand on her shoulder. "Tell you what. After this is all over, and we defeat You Know-er…V-Voldem-mort, we'll sleep for a while and then, we'll take him and go on a trip or something, go around to France and all those other countries that have weird food and stuff and we'll just let him be happy and we'll all hang out and have fun and relax and…we'll talk to him about everything and he can get it all out and…does that sound nice?"

Hermione smiled at Ron. "That sound fantastic, Ron."

"We'll just grab him and take him and he wont be able to do anything about it…and we'll go to that place where they eat snails."

"France."

"Right. I'll eat a snail. Then we'll go somewhere where it doesn't rain all the time. Like a beach or something. What's a good beach?"

"I don't know. There are lots of them. California or some place in South of here."

"California! I'll put on an American accent!"

"Please don't."

"And then we can go to Romania and annoy Charlie! And Egypt and annoy Bill! And we can go to Ireland to see the Irish Quidditch Team! And Australia to see kangaroos! And my cousin Ellen and annoy her! And…"

Hermione began to laugh as Ron went on and on about all the places they could go and all the people they could annoy and suddenly, the future didn't loom so hopeless after all.

"Reflect as if you have all of time, even though time is short"- First Test , Protector of the Small Quartet, by Tamora Pierce


	9. When There's Smoke, There's Fire

Chapter Nine

Where There's Smoke, There's Fire

The long winding road was silent, lined with sinister abandoned shops. It had been a while since anything had disturbed this peace, but the crack like a whip set the buildings on alert. Three teenagers appeared in the foggy street, all wearing long black cloaks and loose shirts and pants.

Hermione looked around. "Wow. This place is totally abandoned."

"Looks like Borgin left," Harry nodded, pointing at the shop, which lay silent.

"He probably flew the coop after that whole thing with the Vanishing Cabinet," Ron acknowledged.

The three of them crept forward.

"Stand back," Hermione said, "Alohomora!" The door burst open and they went inside. The place was in complete disarray. A lot of the artifacts were broken and strewn on the floor.

"Looks like he left pretty quickly," Ron said.

"Okay," said Harry, looking around surreptitiously. "We have to look around for anything that looks suspicious. Feel, see, and hear anything odd, we have to check it out. I don't know exactly how Dumbledore felt Voldemort's magic, but I think we can do it too, if we try hard enough."

Hermione and Ron nodded and split up.

Borgin and Burkes was a lot bigger than it seemed. There were lots of little rooms everywhere, full of odd things, like glowing keys that Hermione knew better than to touch, not to mention a room of old files, which tried to lock them in, but Ron was quick enough to get them out. However, they didn't have any indication of any Horcrux hidden anywhere.

Finally, they called it a night, and set up camp in one of the emptier rooms. Harry sat, his brow furrowed in worry as Hermione worked away at the old letters they'd found in Godric's Hollow. She was reasonably sure now the first letter was D…or P. Her head began to hurt, as it tended to do after working with this code for any length of time.

"The thing is," Harry muttered, "how do we know if a Horcrux is near us? How do we know if we're even in the right place? This is like a wild goose chase! I wish Dumbledore-"

Harry broke off suddenly.

"I do too," Hermione replied. "It's okay to miss people, Harry."

Harry looked annoyed. "I know that! Give it a rest, Hermione, just because I don't like talking about it all the time, doesn't mean I'm not dealing with it!"

"Talking about things is important," said Hermione angrily.

"I deal with it differently than you do okay? Some people like to talk about the dead person and that's how they deal with it, but some people prefer not to and they deal as well! So stop pressing it."

"He had a point, there," said Ron, who had been watching them argue while chewing contentedly on a chicken leg.

"Have it your way," snapped Hermione and she returned to her code, annoyed with them both.

They spent the rest of the evening in silence, Hermione working on her code, Harry staring at the wall (brooding, more like, Hermione thought angrily) and Ron contemplating his chicken leg.

They continued their search the next day…and the day after that…and the day after that. After about a week, Harry announced that is they didn't find anything tomorrow, they were off. He looked slightly depressed as he said this and Hermione was upset too, that they had to cross this off the list so soon. She brooded on this while heating some potatoes for them with her fire lit wand. Suddenly a crash startled her and she dropped her wand spinning around.

"Sorry, I tripped over my huge feet again," Ron mumbled, getting up.

"They are not huge," Hermione said consolingly, as it was her instinct to comfort people when they insulted themselves.

"That is the biggest lie I have ever heard you spout, and you've spouted some pretty big ones."

"Excuse me? When have I lied?"

"Let's see…the troll, Umbridge-"

"Both times to save your and Harry's hides!"

"I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just speaking factually."

"Well, honestly, your feet are fine, you're just abnormally clumsy."

"Hey!"

"I'm just kid-"

"HERMIONE! RON!" screamed Harry, who had just walked in. "ARE YOU BLIND? THE BLOODY ROOM IS ON FIRE!"

Hermione and Ron whipped around to see Harry was right, the firelit wand Hermione had dropped had caught on a blanket and now the fire had spread across the whole room.

"Oh my God!" Hermione scrambled for her wand, but couldn't find it, and had to withdraw her hand rapidly when the fire burned it. She backed up against the wall as the fire raged, eyes wide with fright.

"Aguamenti!" Harry said firmly and a stream of water erupted from the wand, putting the fire out. Ron followed suit and Harry kicked Hermione her wand and she helped as well. Soon, the fire was out.

"I'm sorry!" Hermione squealed, mortified at her foolish mistake.

"It's okay," Harry said

"Yeah, it was partly my fault because I startled-Hey, that's odd…" Ron broke off.

"What?"

"There are burn marks all across the wall-except for that space," Ron pointed out, "And I could swear the fire was raging over there."

Ron was right. There were burn marks all along the walls consistently, except for one large corner of the room.

"That is odd," Harry and Hermione followed him over. Hermione reached out and touched the corner and felt a slight chill go down her spine.

Harry touched it an apparently felt the same chill, he looked confused for a moment and then his eyes lit up.

"This had to be where the Horcrux is!" He exclaimed. "The fire didn't burn the space because it was protected my magic, and we can feel the magic as well!"

"Brilliant!" Hermione gasped. "How do we open it?"

"Last time it needed blood," said Harry, taking out his wand.

"What are you do-_Harry!_"Hermione cried as Harry slashed his wand across his arm leaving a long deep gash. He smeared his blood on the wall, ignoring Hermione and Ron's exclamations.

"Didn't work," Harry muttered. "He must have changed it for this one…" He tapped his wand on his arm and said "Episkey!" the cut healed instantly.

"Well, I'm glad we tried anyway," Ron said sarcastically, obviously startled by Harry's sudden bout of self-mutilation.

Harry rolled his eyes at Ron and said "That's how Dumbledore got us in last time. But looks like we'll have to figure out another way to get in. Hermione…do you know how we could figure out what the spell is?"

"That's very advanced magic Harry…I don't think I could do it…" but Hermione rummaged in her bag anyway, looking for a book to tell them how.

"Dumbledore said Voldemort would want us to weaken ourselves…so maybe the spell is something like that…"

"Or maybe it's something only Vo- You- he can do," Ron said.

Hermione dropped her book as blinding flash of insight clubbed her over the head. "Harry! Try speaking Parseltongue!"

"What?"

"Yeah! That's how you got into the Chamber of Secrets remember? I bet he doubted anyone who could speak Parseltongue would ever find this thing, 'cause the gifts so rare!" Ron cried.

"Okay…" Harry closed his eyes and screwed up his face. After concentrating for a few seconds he let out a long evil sounding hiss.

Suddenly, the floor dropped out underneath them.

_"This wouldn't be an adventure if there weren't a few minor hazards"_- Malicia Grim, The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents, by Terry Pratchett


	10. Phantom

Chapter Ten  
Phantom

Hermione could barely remember falling when she landed hard on the floor.  
"Oof!" She rolled over and stumbled up. What met her eyes was complete darkness  
"Harry? Ron?" She called. She got no answer. Either they weren't here or the fall had knocked them out.  
She tried calling louder. "HARRY! RON!" She couldn't find her wand. She scrabbled on the floor for it, until finally her fingers brushed over the thin stick. "Aha! Lumos!"  
Nothing happened. She looked down to where she assumed her wand was, confused. "Lumos! LUMOS! Incendio! Lomusalem! Ferreris! Flammalarus! LUMOS! Oh, no." None of the spells to give light or fire would work in here. Voldemort must have enchanted the room against it…she was in pitch blackness…but what was the point?  
Suddenly two yellow eyes floated before her, blinking slowly.  
"Er…"  
She jumped back just in time and the claw merely grazed her face. At least, she assumed it was a claw. It felt sharp at any rate. All she could see of the creature was its mad yellow eyes.  
"Stupefy! Impedimenta! Petrificus Totalus! Expelliarmus! SILENCIO!" All of the spells she tried hit the creature, but bounced off and she had to duck and dodge to get out of the way of her own spells. The yellow eyes continued to approach, icy fear made her barely able to move, but she ran for her life, shooting spells over her shoulder "Reducto! Furnunculus! Locomotor Mortis! Desuago! Crucio! What am I doing? That's ILLEGAL!"  
Fortunately (or unfortunately) she didn't seem to be malicious enough to get a Cruciatus Curse out, the creature continued coming at her rapidly and in her haste to escape she crashed directly into a wall she could not see in the pitch darkness. She got up quickly and heard a crash on the wall beside her as the creature lunged where she had been. She ran her fingers along the wall, looking for a door a something, a way out.  
Hermione thought about things a lot. She thought because she figured someone had too. All the others were too busy doing stupid things. Of the trio, Hermione was the thinker. If Harry and Ron were in trouble, they could always count on Hermione to come up with a brilliant plan to bail them out. Hermione was the one who had the plan, who had the brains, who predicted what was going to happen next. Of course, Hermione thought bitterly, running like crazy, it would help if Harry and Ron actually _listen _to her once in a while, but that was another matter. The point was, Hermione could think her way out of danger. If they were dealing with people, generally. Hermione knew about people. She knew how they worked. She could outsmart them, out think, and in a pinch she would always get away. This helped if the person had a gaping weakness, or was particularly stupid for instance, like Umbridge. Yes, Hermione could handle curse tossing power hungry wizards. She would at least, keep her head.  
Creatures worried her. She'd read a lot about magical creatures, and knew one thing-they were unpredictable, instinctive and could kill you in a split second. So were people, but on a lower more manageable level, and she could always find out what made someone tick. Magical creature all ticked the same way though: Either their goal was to survive or their goal was to kill. These obviously overlapped a bit. It was hard to manage something like that. So Hermione, around trolls and giants, tended to lose her head, because she knew EXACTLY what they could do to you. Hermione didn't deal with creatures enough, not as much as people. And just seeing a giant lumbering toward you was enough to scare anyone. Harry always operated better than her in situations like this-her thinking slowed, his got quicker.  
But Hermione could not afford to lose her head now. The way she figured it, she was not dealing with a creature, she was dealing with a person: Voldemort. This was Voldemort's challenge, so all she had to do is figure out what his evil brain might not have deciphered.  
Sharp teeth clamped around her wrist. She tugged away, only to get a stinging pain in her back from some body part. She keeled over and was knocked into the wall with horrible intensity. She rolled out of the way and was grazed by a pain, but the creature delivered the fatal blow to the wall, not her. Dragging herself away, she vainly tried to hit it with spells, to no effect. If only she could see it, she could fight it-where were Harry and Ron?  
A mouth clamped around her ankle, she kicked at the darkness, but might as well have been kicking a wall. She grabbed a corner of wall and jerked away, teeth ripped at her ankle, but she managed to escape.  
WHAT HAD VOLDEMORT NOT THOUGHT OF? Hermione finger brushed against a bit of uneven brick. Aha! Voldemort never thought of the simple solutions-the Muggle solutions. The bricks were uneven-she could climb up the wall!  
She hoisted herself up just in time; she heard a thump below her. She scrambled up the bricks, it was hard, she wasn't a very athletic to begin with, and it was had to get holds in the darkness and harder still to hoist herself up, but she was powered by adrenaline.  
There was a flapping behind her-Oh no…the creature could fly! Teeth clamped around her waist, deep wounds puncturing her skin and she was thrown to the other side of the room. She crashed against the wall and rolled down, nearly knocked silly. She felt hot breath on her face and her fear heightened significantly, she was almost sick with it. She ran harder than ever, but the creature had gotten faster and seemed to know her every move. It caught her before she could think and she jabbed her wand desperately in its great yellow eye. The eye watered and bled, yet the creature did not react to this, did not howl in pain, let go of her, or even blink. The yellow eyes seemed to give the tiniest bit of light, she could see the tip of her wand, but it did not seem to be bloodied, and when she felt it, it was dry. And an idea striking her, she pulled a bit of fur from the creature, but it seemed to disappear in her hand. The creature looked at her in confusion with its good eye as if unsure of what to do next.  
"You're not real," Hermione muttered.  
As if he understood her, the creature took a chunk out of her arm and threw her against the wall in an effort to prove her wrong. Then it approached, and Hermione could tell from the growling it was going to kill her this time.  
"It's an illusion-it can't hurt me…" Hermione squeaked, as the thing got closer. "B-But it hurt me-s-something must be powering it, if it c-can kill me…"  
What was powering it… what would Voldemort find frightening…think others would as well…What scared Voldemort?  
Voldemort was scared of the dark. He was scared of the unknown…in fact, in a way, Voldemort was scared of…fear. THAT was what was powering the monster. The monster was scary because Hermione didn't know what it was. The more she believed in the monster, the more she was scared of it, the realer it became. This was an enchantment that killed people with their own fear. Because Voldemort could not overcome his own fear, he thought others couldn't as well, thought they would surely would not get past this challenge.  
The thing was approaching slower now. To escape, Hermione would have to let go of her fear…let go of her belief in the monster.  
Hermione crossed her arms, stared the monster in the eye and said, "I am not afraid of you."  
The monster kept coming.  
"You're not a monster. You're a person. And I know how you work. Now I can take you down."  
The approach was slowing.  
"It's logic really."  
Hermione took a deep breath, trying to let go. "Yes, very logical. You are not real. You're just smoke and mirrors.  
Letgoletgoletgo…  
"This is just darkness and I'm tired of running."  
The monster stopped.  
"Goodbye."  
She took another deep breath and walked straight up to the still figure and on impulse, patted it on the head.  
There was a blinding flash of light, Hermione tumbled back, her eyes closed and when she opened them and refocused, she found herself in a room with many doors, with blood running down her shirt.

" 'Afraid' is a country with no exit visa"-Audre Lorde


	11. Scream

Chapter Eleven

Scream

"Episkey," She muttered, and her cuts healed up. She examined her arms, which had a slight greenish tinge to it. Had the enchantment poisoned her somehow? She had no time to check now, foolish as that may be, she had to find Harry and Ron. Now, if only she could figure out which door to go through.

"Point me," She muttered. At first her wand didn't move. The all of the sudden it began to spin very very rapidly and all of the doors sprang open, save for the third one and suddenly she was pulled with tremendous force, the doors were trying to suck her in to their dark depths.

Hermione let out a scream that would shatter glass as she was pulled quickly and relentlessly forward, within and seconds she was across the room. Instinctively she grabbed the doorknob of the open door adjoining the black hole she was about to be sucked into, this stopped her from disappearing into the darkness, but to her horror, the wood around the doorknob quickly began to crack, the doorknob was about to break away from the door. With a jerk, Hermione forced the door she was hanging onto closed, which was easy, since the pressure was pulling her in the same direction. As soon as the door snapped shut, the pressure stopped, and Hermione was hanging onto the doorknob in pitch darkness. She could here something moving in the distance. Somehow, her wand was in her teeth. She turned her head to the sided and thought "Reducto!" as hard as she could. The door was blasted open, Hermione managed to grab the edge of the doorway and pull herself up into the original room. She quickly darted through the third door, into a very dimly lit doorway. As soon as she reached this, she collapsed in a heap. Her arms were already aching terribly from hanging onto the doorknob. She was fairly sure she'd filled her exercise requirement for the year.

"Harry? Ron?" She called out in a cracked voice after pulling herself together. No one answered. Hermione stumbled up, her legs were shaking very badly and she immediately fell down again. "RON! HARRY!"

The dim room rang with echoes. She got up again, and stayed up this time. "ROOOOOON!" She screamed as loud as she could walking down the hall. "HAAAARRY!" No answer. She felt like crying. They had to be somewhere.

"HARRY POTTER AND RON WEASLEY, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME YOU"D BETTER ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW!" She screamed as loud as she possibly could, and she broke off in a sob. She began to cry and it echoed down the hall eerily. Where could they be?

Suddenly she heard a noise behind her. A dark shape approached her and something clamped down on her wrist. Screaming she began to punch blindly at the thing.

"OW! Stop it, Hermione! It's me! Ow!"

Hermione stopped. "Ron?" She could now see a freckled face glaring at her sullenly.

"Ow!" Ron said again, for effect. "Yeah, it's me, who else would it be? Agggh!!" he cried as she threw her arms around him joyfully,

"You're all right!" She cried

"Mad as a hatter," he mumbled as she pulled away.

"Well, maybe if you'd said "Hi, Hermione," instead of coming out of nowhere and GRABBING me-!"

"All right! Where were you?"

"Where were you? Where's Harry?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know? I asked you first!"

"A big thing in the dark attacked me, but it actually turned out to be a physical projection of my own psychological fear, which I defeated by realizing it was merely powered by my own confusion and turmoil. Then there were doors. Where were you?"

"Uh…in this haunted place…. and things kept grabbing my ankles."

"What, that's all?"

"No, that is not all! They were big slimy dead hands! I thought they were Inferi! There were tons of them and it was a dark hall and they grabbed my ankles and wrists and dragged me down and no spells would work, and I was beating it with a brick, but THAT didn't work either and I thought I was going to die-then I heard you screaming shrilly enough to break glass there and it all sort of exploded!"

"What? It exploded when you heard me screaming?"

"Yeah! You were saying "ROOOON!" and I was like "Hermione! Hey, she's here! I should go find her! And then everything flashed and I was in this really long hall. With doors. But I could tell which one to open because of which one your voice was coming from."

"Why did everything explode?"

"I dunno-you said your thing was a thingy projection of you own whatever fears powered by your something, right? So maybe you distracted me from my fear."

"So, my voice completely distracted you from your fear? What does that mean?"

"…. That you scare me even more than dead hands trying to drag me down into nothingness?"

"Ron!"

"So, you don't know where Harry is?" Ron said.

"No…" Hermione said. "I hope he's all right."

They stood there for a second, exchanging worried looks, then began to run down the hall.

"HARRY?" Hermione called. "HARRY, COME OUT, IT'S US!"

"HARRY! GET OUT HERE! IT'S RON! HERMIONE SAYS WE'RE JUST BEING TERRORIZED BY OUR OWN FEARS, SO IT SHOULD BE EASY FOR YOU TO DEFEAT WHATEVERS HAPPENING TO YOU!"

"HARRY! HARRY! COME ON!"

"HARRY! ANSWER US!"

"Ron, cover your ears," Hermione advised, stopping. She took a deep breath and bellowed "HAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRYYYYY!"

Ron gave a low moan and took his hands off his ears. "You have a really loud voice."

"What is wrong with this hall? We've been walking all this time and haven't reached the end! Lumos!" Hermione grumbled hoarsely. Her wand lit the dim dreariness and Ron lit his as well. They could not see the end of the hall still.

"Fantastic," Hermione said sarcastically. Suddenly they heard a strangled yell and a running figure erupted out of the seemingly never-ending hall and before they knew it, Harry had barreled right into them, sending them flying.

"Harry!" They both sputtered instantly righting themselves.

"Ron? Hermione?" Harry said, for some reason looking at them fearfully.

"Yes!" Hermione cried.

"I don't believe you," Harry said, brandishing his wand at them and waving it shakily.

"What? Why on earth not?"

"Go away. Now. I'm not afraid of you."

"Why should you be? Afraid of me, that is. Hermione, I can see…" Ron said, looking quizzically at his best friend.

"Stop it! Stupefy!" His spell barely missed Ron, who yelped and rolled out of the way.

"Harry!" Hermione said, shocked. "What's wrong?"

"Impedimenta!"

This one caught Hermione in the stomach and she crashed into the wall full force.

"Hermione!" Harry and Ron said together.

"It's really you!" Harry said in a shocked voice as Hermione groaned and rubbed her head, which was reeling.

"Of course it is, you nutcase!" Ron said angrily. "Are you all right, Hermione?"

"Yes…honestly, Harry, what's come over you!?" Hermione snapped.

"I-I'm sorry," Harry stammered. Hermione noticed for the first time his face was as white as a sheet. "I thought you were one of them…"

"One of what?"

"I was in this room-and everyone was in it…everyone I'd ever known…Dumbledore, Sirius, Ginny, Neville…you two…just when I thought I escaped one another one would appear…"

"And what were they saying?" Ron asked, helping both Harry and Hermione up. "Were they doing anything?"

Harry shook his head. "I…really don't want to talk about it…anyway…It got pretty bad, but, I realized finally, that it wasn't real and something happened inside me and…it stopped, so I ran out of there. When I saw you two here, I thought it was happening again, but I know you're real now, because the others would always dodge my spells. I'm sorry, Hermione."

"That's fine," Hermione said. "But…didn't you hear us calling?"

"I heard a lot of voices. I couldn't tell which was which. I thought I was gong to go mad. Where were you two?"

"I was in the dark, being attacked by a thing with yellow eyes, but I realized it was a physical project-"

"She realized her fear was powering it," Ron cut in. "I was being pulled down by these slimy hands, but I heard Hermione screaming like mad, and that distracted me enough to make it all explode."

"Oh."

"Are you sure you're all right, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah. Are you?"

"Yes. Ron?"

"Just great."

"Well, I guess now we know we're all all right, we should go through that door?" Harry pointed at the door that was now mysteriously next to them.

"I don't remember that door being there before," Hermione said.

"It's next to the one I came through. You must have not been able to see it."

"This is all giving me a headache," Ron groused. "I'm telling you, after all this the bloody Horcrux had better be right behind this door!"

Harry opened the door and walked in, Ron and Hermione following him. They found themselves in another narrow hallway with shiny white walls; in front of them was a labyrinth of paths. They appeared to be in a maze.

"And of course, there's more," Ron grumbled.

Harry sighed and closed his eyes. "A maze. Just wonderful…I'm betting "Point Me" won't work either."

"Don't even try it," Hermione warned.

"Well, I guess we walk then."

They did so, stopping when they reached a fork so Hermione could recite the mathematical odds of them going in the right direction, and Ron could tell Harry to just pick one.

Eventually they grew tired and sat down to rest.

"So, I suppose Voldemort's plan in this is to have us wander aimlessly here until we starve?" Hermione sighed.

"Oh no," Ron groaned, leaning against the wall. "Why did you mention food?"

Suddenly, black hand reached out of the wall Ron was leaning on and wrapped around grabbing him and pulling him screaming into the wall, where he disappeared.

"RON!"

Harry and Hermione both rushed forward, but Ron was already gone and when they pressed against the wall it was stubbornly solid.

"No…" Hermione groaned, her eyes blurring with tears.

Harry kicked the wall a hard as he could, only to receive a very sore foot, it appeared, and they fruitlessly tried to blast the wall down with "Reducto" to no effect it seemed. After a full five minutes of trying, they slumped down in defeat.

"Where is he?" Hermione moaned.

"He'll be fine," Harry tried to reassure himself. "Ron can take care of himself. We'll find him. We just have to find a way out of this stupid maze."

"But how can we possibly find a way out? The maze is so complicated, we'll be wandering forever, and if we do get out, it will be too late for Ron! The maze could be never ending even! And who knows what waits at the end? We have no idea what we're up against!" Hermione cried.

Harry's eyes lit up in an apparent flash of inspiration. "No idea what we're up against! That's it! When I was getting the locket, with Dumbledore, he told me it was a good idea to try a simple spell so we can see what lies ahead of us! Accio Horcrux!"

Harry brandished his wand and there was a crunching grinding noise at these words and the walls began to move, slowly closing in on them.

"Oh no! Look what you did!" Hermione squealed.

"Well, at least we have something to fight…" Harry said as he backed against one wall to get as far away as possible from the other, yanking Hermione back with him.

"Well, that makes everything better, doesn't it?" Hermione snapped.

"Just shut up so I can think!"

"This sort of thing happened when I did "Point Me!" to try to get through the doors before!"

"Hermione, shut up!"

"It's coming in faster…"

Harry responded to this by blasting the wall furiously with spells. "You'd expect him to come up with something more creative!" He grumbled.

"Oh no…this is it…we're done for…" Hermione said as the wall moved in on her, close enough so Harry was able to press his feet against the other side in a pathetic attempt to stop the eminent doom. Hermione sucked in her stomach and pressed her back harder against the wall.

Suddenly, Ron erupted out of the wall, looking furious. He whipped around and cast some sort of spell and the grinding came to an immediate halt. Harry fell down from his balancing act and Hermione's knees gave out.

"R-Ron!" She gasped, stumbling up and hugging him. "How did you do that?"

"Are you guys okay?" Ron asked as Hermione released him.

"Yeah!" Harry said, looking at his friend in astonishment. "That was amazing! What happened to you? Ron? How did you escape?"

Ron gave them a huge smile to reveal pointed teeth.

"I didn't," he said, as hundreds of Inferi popped up behind him, driving the walls apart.

"Sometimes it is worse to win a fight than lose"- Billie Holiday


	12. Cyclone

Chapter 12

Cyclone

"W-what…" Hermione stepped back, her breath coming in forced gasps.

"Where's Ron?" Harry immediately sprang into action, grabbing the fake Ron by the shirt and pointing his wand at its head. "What have you done with him?" He snarled.

Something black snaked out and threw Harry against the wall. "Ron Weasley is dead. I killed him." The things eyes glowed red and a sort of black liquid began to snake up its arms. "Not before I found out everything about you, Harry Potter."

Harry was on the floor groaning, looking pale and sick. The fake Ron kneeled down and looked into Harry's eyes. "Harry Potter, Boy Who Lived, seventeen, parents killed by my master at age one. Great power dwells within you, you are supposed to bring about the fall of my master, but you are no match for me. Weaknesses: compulsive desire to save people, overactive loyalty and immense attachment to loved ones, prone to violent anger on tragedy, making yourself unable to do anything but scream and shoot spells, emotional damage. Sound about right?"

Suddenly the fake Ron found himself thrown against the wall with Hermione's wand point at his temple. Hermione had never felt so angry in her life. Rage clouded her vision. "Oh yeah? Know anything about me?"

The thing eyed her without fear. "A little too much. Seize the bookworm."

Slimy strong hands grabbed her; pulling her back and fake Ron plucked the wand from her grip as she struggled against the Inferi. He dropped it immediately however when Harry came catapulting out of nowhere, hitting him with spells. The thing stumbled back and Harry blasted fire at the Inferi, who released Hermione for a second, enough so she caught her wand when Harry threw it at her. The Inferi were now over the shock of Harry's small blast of fire and continued forward. Fake Ron was only slightly dazed by the onslaught of smells, and a black thing darted out once more, barely missing Hermione as she ducked a squealed. Harry was throwing every type of curse imaginable at the thing, even Unforgivables, but they merely seemed to phase through it. Hermione tried to keep the Inferi back with a fiery blaze coming from her wand, but it was not enough, the Inferi weren't even rattled by it, they continued coming and soon she was overwhelmed and being carried off. She screamed as loudly as she could, feeling the clammy deadness against her own warm skin, and struggled, but the grip was too strong. Harry turned to help her, but the black thing grabbed him by the head in this momentary distraction, but not before he's shot out a spell that cut the hands gripping her off the Inferi. She tumbled down, the severed hands still clenched on her wrists, making her gag, as Harry feel to the floor, screaming bloody murder, veins standing out on his paper white face as he rolled in agony.

"Harry!" Hermione vaulted forward, but another slippery black thing snaked toward her and she had to dodge out of the way.

"It's no use, Granger. Weasley is dead. All I had to do was touch him and he killed himself. Took his life with his own Killing Curse. He couldn't resist."

"That's…not...true," Hermione gasped, tears streaming down her face. "Ron…can't be…"

"He is. And you two never even got a chance to snog. Pity. Just grab the idiot girl, you zombies!"

The Inferi clasped her wrists once more and she dropped her wand. The same black power now tormenting Harry snaked toward her, but she managed to jerk her body up in time and it just caught her hands. It didn't matter, because and excruciating pain was racing through up through her arms, heading for her brain. Her mind…this thing was going to destroy her mind…

"Stop making this so damn hard, Potter," she heard the thing grumble as Harry's screams grew louder. "Give it up already, too- wha-?"

Hermione's eyes were rolling in her head, she couldn't see what was happening, but suddenly she was free and the Inferi had let go of her. Her eyes refocused and she saw two Ron's…as amazing as it seemed, an identical Ron had come out of nowhere and jammed his hand towards the fake things forehead, where it sunk in as if it was punching through some thick pudding.

"Meircer Erdom!" The second Ron cried and all of the sudden the thing turned totally black, a lurking black form with red eyes. Ron was thrown back against the wall and the thing growled and snaked its hands back towards Ron, who simply cried "Protego!"And the hand rebounded, snaking into the things own head. The black creature began to scream so loudly that Ron and Hermione covered their ears, Harry was too busy groaning beside them, and suddenly the thing completely evaporated, leaving the Inferi standing there, looking faintly confused.

They soon regrouped though, and headed toward the three threateningly. Her mind reeling, Hermione managed to let forth a blaze of fire, and Ron joined. Harry managed to join them as well and soon the fire was a giant ring, the Inferi hovered uncertainly at the edge of it. Hermione was sweating profusely, the fire was very hard to maintain, Ron pointed to a door that had somehow appeared in the maze and they ran through it.

I "_Colloportus!" /I _Hermione cried and the door was sealed behind her.

Gasping, Hermione collapsed on the floor, as did Harry and Ron.

"Well," Ron said slowly. "That was weird."

"It is far better to be trapped than to be dead."- The Ersatz Elevator, A Series of Unfortunate Events, By Lemony Snicket.


	13. Penchant

Chapter 13

Penchant

"I…cannot…believe…you…" Hermione banged her head against her knees. "How…?"

"It's a really cool story," Ron assured her.

"I'll bet," Harry said dryly.

"Are you two all right?" Ron said, looking concerned.

"Are YOU? What happened? What was that thing?"

"I have no idea."

"To what?"

"All three," Ron said. "But I saved you." He looked quite happy about this.

"Yes, thanks, Ron, but WHAT HAPPENED?" Hermione exploded.

"Well, okay…So, when I was leaning against the wall, these black hands reached out and pulled me into this room and I was face to face with this black thing which hissed something…but I just started cursing it like crazy, because it was hurting me and it dropped me, but then these two Inferi came out of nowhere and held me down. The thing was moaning all pathetically and I kept cursing it and it was getting weaker, but the Inferi finally took my wand away and threw it across the room. Then it shoved its hand in my forehead and it became I_ part /I_ of me."

"What?"

"It was weird…I can't describe it, but it went into my soul…and could feel it, everything it had ever felt, hate and stuff…. I can't really remember it now, but it was odd…anyway, I got the feeling it was, you know, absorbing my soul or something mad like that…I knew everything it had ever known…it said this curse "Recriem Modre!"And then, it became really really painful…. and it took over my body and began to destroy my mind…and I wanted to die. It was sort of like the Imperius Curse mixed with the Cruciatus curse, because next thing I knew, I had my wand back and I was putting it up to my head…and I was about to kill myself, and the thing had gotten it's hand out of my head, and was separate from me now, but it's power was still working on me, but then I thought of something…"

"Thought of what?" Harry was listening intently.

"Well, all these images were spinning around in my mind…and I could hardly make sense of any of it, because that thing was sucking all of the…ME out of me…it was destroying everything…but I only remembered one thing…remember fourth year when fake Moody told us that if we tried to do a Killing Curse on him he probably wouldn't get a nosebleed?

"Er…yeah…" Harry said.

"Well, I got really confused when I remembered this, because how was I supposed to kill myself if I don't know how to do a Killing Curse…and then the thing in my head was telling me I was worthless and stupid and it was laughing, so I was all nervous I wouldn't be able to do it, but I tried anyway, but I was so flustered, all that happened was a bunch of green sparks, but I didn't want to get in trouble with Moody ('cuz I couldn't remember anything, so I thought I was in class) so I PRETENDED to be dead. And then the thing went away and so did all the Inferi," he said proudly, beaming at them.

"Er…" Harry said.

"All right, but how did you defeat it?" Hermione said.

"Wait, you understood that?" Harry asked her.

"Well, you know how that thing knew everything I knew?"

"Yes."

"Well, it worked in reverse as well. I knew everything it knew once it had been inside me. So I knew that that curse it had used "Recriem Modre" was a curse to suck my essence out of me and I knew if I wanted to get my essence BACK I had to say the curse backward. So I followed it, but it took a while because I was all dazed and couldn't figure out why I was here, but eventually I got to it, said the spell backwards and got my mind back!"

There was a stunned silence as Harry and Hermione took this in. Harry turned to Hermione looking lost.

"So, what you're saying, is this creature we faced, sucked your essence away and tried to get you to kill yourself, but as the memories were rushing past and you were resisting, you remembered you couldn't do a Killing Curse, got nervous and botched it, then just pretended to be dead so nobody would be mad at you?" Hermione said

"Yeah, pretty much."

"But that when the creature took your mind away, it put some of it's essence in you, so you knew how to defeat it and get your mind back?"

"Yeah!"

"This is the weirdest thing that's ever happened to any of us," Harry sighed.

"But…how did you get it to explode?" Hermione asked.

"That was fluke-sort of- when I did Protego, it's tentacle of doom thing backfired and it destroyed it's own mind, I guess," Ron said.

"That's such a simple way to defeat it though!" Hermione exclaimed.

"But Voldemort would never think of anything that simple," Harry reminded her. "And neither would most people."

"So what was that creature, then, and why would Volde…You Know…He…um, you know, choose it as a challenge?" Ron asked.

"Well, it seemed pretty challenging to me, if it hadn't been for your penchant for insecurity and quick thinking, we'd all be dead now. I think I read something somewhere about mind destroying demons…when we get out of here, I'll have to look it up," Hermione mused. "Well, I'm really glad you're all right, Ron." She hugged him briefly, making the tips of his ears go red.

"Yeah, me too. Good one," Harry smiled. He looked around. "So, um, where are we?"

Hermione looked at her surroundings for the first time. They were in a dark passageway again.

"I don't know, but we'd best get going."

They stumbled up and set off down the passageway.

"We'd better find the bloody Horcrux soon," Ron grumbled as Harry mopped his sweaty hair out of his face. "I mean it this time."

"We can't be far, we've been through two obstacles," Hermione said.

"Stop!" Harry held out a hand and they halted at the end of the passage.

In the distance that saw a rickety wood platform that ran between two crevices…Hermione could make out something fuzzy and gold just beyond it.

"A bridge?" She asked.

"No," Harry said. "A test."

"Look, cat, there are two kinds of people in this world. There are those who've got the plot and those who haven't."- Malicia Grim, The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents, by Terri Prattchet


	14. Rotten

Chapter 14  
Rotten

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.  
"I think this bridge is just like those boats when I was with Dumbledore. More than one person can't get across."  
"Then, what do we do?" Ron asked.  
"I think we can get across. Dumbledore said the enchantment measures magical ability, not wait. We're all barely of age, and nowhere near as powerful as Dumbledore. The bridge will probably measure the three of us as one powerful wizard." Harry approached the bridge. It was a long rickety thin, hanging across a wide bottomless crevice. Harry gingerly put one foot on it, then the other. He took a couple steps. The bridge swayed and creaked, but didn't give away.  
"Come on," Harry motioned.  
The two of them looked uncertainly toward the bridge. Ron took a deep breath and stepped on. He let out a high-pitched scream as the bridge swayed threateningly. Nervously, Hermione followed, her knuckles whitening against the ropes as the bridge wobbled.  
"See?" said Harry, sounding unsure. "I told you we'd be fine. Now lets get across."  
They slowly made there way along the bridge, wincing as it wobbled and biting back their fear. Hermione tried very hard on to look down, her eyes squeezed shut tight.  
After what seemed like ages they arrived on solid ground. Hermione collapsed on the hard packed dirt, and considered kissing it, but decided not to. Harry looked at her bemusedly.  
"Good ground. Nice ground," Ron gasped.  
Hermione stumbled up. "What's that?" She pointed to the object glinting in the distance.   
"Hopefully the Horcrux," Harry said.  
"I love you, ground…"  
"Come on, Ron," Hermione said, rolling her eyes.  
They made their way cautiously toward the Horcrux. Hermione found she was slightly unsteady. Must have been because of all she'd been through today. She was achy too. As soon as this was over, she was going to collapse. They got closer and closer to the object. Finally, Hermione could make out what it was.  
"Whoa," Ron whispered.  
"Finally," Harry said.  
"The gauntlets," Hermione finished for them. "Or gauntlet."  
Now they were directly level with the Horcrux. Only one gauntlet stood gleaming and silver, the fingertips a brilliant red though, and the wrist. They were adorned with the unmistakable mark of Gryffindor.  
"Wonder what he did with the other one," Harry murmured.  
After a long moment of silence, Ron finally asked, "What do we do?"  
"I guess…we pick it up…" Harry said.  
"Harry, no!" Hermione cried, grabbing his wrist. "It could be a trap!"  
"Well, how else are we supposed to find out?" Harry said reasonably.  
Hermione could not answer this. Harry jerked his hand free from her grip and slowly, carefully, moved his hand toward the gauntlet, while Ron and Hermione watched in trepidation. Finally, looking fearful, Harry gave the metal a quick poke. Nothing happened.  
Harry then placed both his hands on the gauntlet and tried to pick it up. It refused to budge. Harry pulled harder, using his foot for leverage, but the gauntlet remained stuck to the table. Hermione watched in a bored sort of way as Ron added his strength to the mix. When they finally gave up, Hermione said, "It must be some kind of spell. Stand back, you two."  
They scrambled back fearfully and Hermione tried every spell she knew on the metallic glove. None of them worked. Hermione looked at it, mystified. "That's all I know."  
Harry leaned over the gauntlets obviously thinking very hard. "Of course…" he muttered.  
"Of course what?" Ron and Hermione said together.  
"This is just like before…I have to put my hand in the gauntlet."  
There was a moment of stunned silence.  
"What." Ron finally said.  
"Voldemort does stuff like this. There's no way we can pry the stupid thing off the table, or do anything to it, without putting our hands in them. And when I put my hand in it, something reaaaaallly bad will probably happen to me," he explained calmly.  
"There must be another way," Hermione said.  
"There probably isn't," Harry replied. "I better do it."  
"Mate, if you put your hand in there, something bad will happen to you. We're not letting you do it. Remember Dumbledore?"  
Harry stared at Ron for a second, apparently mulling over what he had just said. Then, without warning, he shoved his right hand into the gauntlet.  
"HARRY!" Hermione screamed, and she and Ron pulled him away from the table, and the gauntlets came with him.  
"It worked!" Harry cried, looking at his hands. Then he suddenly went very, very white. "Oh no…"  
The gauntlet, which was several sizes too big for Harry, suddenly shrank and clapped around his arm like chains. Harry fell to his knees.  
"HARRY!" Ron and Hermione screamed at the same time, dropping down beside him.   
"What's happening to you?" Ron said frantically.  
Harry didn't answer but looked down in horror and his skin became so pale Hermione could see every vein and artery, Then from the end of his gauntlet up, his skin became a chapped brown, snaking up slowly to consume his arm. Harry cried out in pain, his hands vibrating like a spoon in an earthquake.  
"It's killing him! Get the glove off him!" Ron cried. They both clawed at the glove desperately, but it refused to budge. Once again, Hermione tried spells and Ron did the same, but no results. The chapped brown veins were close to disappearing under Harry's shirtsleeve, it was as if his skin was rotting.  
"What'll we do? What'll we do?" Hermione screamed hysterically.  
Harry managed to speak, sounding extremely pained.  
"Cut…hand…off…" he gasped.  
"WHAT?"  
"Only…way…you…can…put…back…"  
" Harry's right, Hermione. Voldemort expected only one person to be here, and that when they got the gauntlet on, they'd be in too much pain to cut their own hand off, so they'd die. It's the only way. We can use magic to put them back on, later."  
"But…but…" Hermione said, revolted.  
"He's DYING, Hermione! We have to do it!"  
"DO IT!" Harry screamed, and his glasses shattered. "NOW!"  
"I'll do it," Ron said.  
"Wait, Stun him first!" Hermione cried. "Stupefy!"  
Harry fell unconscious.  
"Good, now he won't feel it," Ron said. He held out his wand, looking horrified and guilt torn with what he had to do. "Close your eyes."  
Hermione turned around and squeezed her eyes shut, her hands over her ears. Tears leaked from closed lids.   
She heard a slicing sound.  
"Done," Ron said, sounding like he was about to faint. "Look, he's all right now."  
Hermione glimpsed at the unconscious Harry. She tried not to look at his arm, which was cut below the elbow, but she saw his skin was back to normal, even his arm. His arm was however bleeding freely. Hermione knew that a very large vein in his arm had probably been sliced.  
"I'll have to cauterize it," Hermione said, shaking her head to clear it.  
"What?"  
"Stop the bleeding."  
"Oh. You do that, I'm prying his arm out."  
Hermione did a comlicated spell to stop the bleeding, and just after a few seconds after she had done so, and the bleeding had stopped, Ron said, "Dooooneee…" in an ultra queasy voice.  
Suddenly, the ground began to shake.  
"Oh no…" Ron cried. "Let's get out of here!"  
Ron kept the gauntlet and Harry's arm, Hermione scooped up Harry, who was incredibly heavy, but thanks to his skinniness, not too much for Hermione. Ron's hands were drenched in blood and now Hermione's shirt was smeared with it too. They ran full pelt across the bridge, not even paying attention to its heinous swaying as rocks and boulders fell behind them. At the end of the bridge, Hermione tripped under Harry's weight and her ankle gave a sickening crack, as well as a flash of pain. Ron groaned and carefully places Harry's arm and the gauntlet in Hermione's bag, which Hermione hardly had time to be disgusted by, helped Hermione up and they both carried Harry. They went through the maze, and then came to the hall, then to an empty room, where Hermione could see a shaft of light coming through the trap door in the ceiling.  
"Accio brooms!" Ron cried. Two brooms cam zooming down and Ron got on one, propping Harry with him, while Hermione got on the other, and they zoomed up to Borgin and Burkes, slamming the trapdoor behind them. Immediately, Hermione's knees gave out, and Ron's as well, so Harry thumped to the floor.  
"We need…to get…his arm back on…" Hermione said, as the room spun.  
Rom stumbled up and looked out the window. "Oh…My God. Death Eaters."  
"What?"  
"Outside. Quick, get to the room where the trapdoor was! Hardly anyone knows about it, it took us ages to find it, and only because I fell into it!" They dragged themselves back to the room, Hermione closing the door that blended in perfectly with the wall and muttered "Colloportus!"  
"What are Death Eaters doing here?" she gasped.  
"I dunno, but we can't take Harry to St. Mungo's now."  
"We'll have to do it ourselves. I have medical book in my bag…get it…and Harry's arm."  
Dizzily, Hermione flipped to the chapter on how to reattach an arm so the bones and arteries still worked perfectly using magic.  
It took two hours for Hermione and Ron to do it, following the books instructions to the letter. Finally, they looked blearily down at the unconscious Harry. The only evidence that remained of the damage was a pink scar just under the elbow wrapping around the arm.  
"Sure we did it right?" Ron asked.  
"Of course we did, I triple checked everything. He won't be able to use it for a few days…wouldn't be that way if it were a professional job, nor would it scar, but his hand will work perfectly within four days. We'll check it out at St. Mungo's…when…the…Death Eaters…go…"  
"So he's okay then?"  
"As he'll ever be, I suppose."  
"Well, if that's done…" Ron eyes rolled up in his head and he passed out on the floor.  
Hermione managed to shove a pillow under her head before she did the same.

"If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much room," -Lorraine Teel


	15. Back

Chapter Fifteen

Back

A rough tongue licking her face awakened Hermione Granger.

"Ooooh…Crookshanks…" She muttered, scratching him behind the ears. The cat purred and jumped off her, his mission of awakening her complete. Only when she sat up and felt a sharp pain in her ankle, did she remember where she was and what had happened.

"Ooooh…." She groaned.

Ron lifted his head. " 'Ermione?"

"Yeah," Hermione gingerly moved her leg in front of her so she could see her ankle. It was swollen and puffy. "You all right?"

"I hurt all over, but yeah," Ron said.

Hermione withdrew her wand shakily and kicking her medical book open with her other foot, set to work mending her ankle. Ron watched her for a moment as if hypnotized, then started.

"Harry!"

"Is he conscious?" Hermione asked as Ron dragged himself over.

"Not yet," Ron said, shaking his friend. "Hey, Harry!"

Harry rolled over with a groan, his eyes still tightly closed. "Goddamnit, Aunt Petunia, I'll cook breakfast in a minute!" he mumbled.

"He's fine," Ron said, flopping onto his back. "Whoa…cool…Hermione, I have a handprint on my arm!"

"What?"

Ron showed Hermione his arm, which had a purple bruise shaped like a handprint.

"It must have been when the Inferi grabbed me…"

"Uck, Ron, heal that. It's disgusting," Hermione cried, squeezing her eyes shut.

"No way! It's cool!"

"It is not! Stop waving it in my face!"

Ron continued to wave it in her face.

"That's it! If you won't heal that I'm going to have to heal it for you!" Hermione grabbed Ron's arm and put her wand to it.

"Hey, get off!" Ron grabbed her arms as well and before they knew it they were wrestling over Hermione's arm.

"Ugh…get off me…Ron!"

"This is fun! OW! Hey! That hurt!"

"You touched my chest!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too! Get OFF me!"

"No way, gimme your wand! OW! Stop kicking me!"

They heard a loud groan from behind them and Hermione twisted around to see Harry who was awake and staring at them bemusedly. "If you two are going to do that, go to another room."

"We're not…Ron's being obnoxious!'

"Riiiigggghht…" Harry said, rolling his eyes. "Hey, why is my arm numb?"

Ron and Hermione suddenly stopped fighting and glared at him.

"Wait for it…" Ron muttered.

"Ohhhh…" Harry said, remembering. He looked down at his arm. "Wow. I can't believe I'm not dead."

"Neither…can…I," Hermione said through gritted teeth.

"And you reattached it! Thanks…. er, Hermione, why are you looking at me like that?"

"OF ALL THE STUPID, POORLY THOUGHT OUT, IMPULSIVE, RASH, INCONSIDERATE THINGS YOU'VE DONE, THAT WAS THE I _WORST/I_ You could have DIED! You just randomly shove your hand in a HORCRUX, without even giving us WARNING and then of course, you start DYING and we have to CUT YOUR ARM OFF! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW FRANTIC RON AND I WERE? HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO US? TO YOURSELF! HONESTLY, HARRY!" Hermione finished off.

After a seconds silence Ron cried, "Yeah, what she said!"

"It was the only way to get the Horcrux off the table!" Harry said. "If I'd warned you I was going to do it, you would have stopped me."

"No, we wouldn't have!"

"Yes you would've."

"Well, maybe, but HONESTLY…"

"Did we get the Horcrux?"

"YES!"

"Then you see my point."

"NO, I DO NOT!" Hermione exploded. "THIS IS YOUR LIFE!"

"Stop acting like my mum," Harry mumbled.

"She always does that. Have you just noticed or something?" Ron asked. "And she's right mate. That was really scary. Forget the bloody Horcrux, I can't believe you!"

"We have to defeat Voldemort," Harry said logically. "We have to get the Horcrux at any cost. Anyway, I'm alive, we have the Horcrux, and I have my arm back, everything's fine."

"No it isn't!" Hermione fumed. "Your arm is going to take days to heal, not to mention, Ron and I had to spend two hour reattaching your arm after we escaped while we were half conscious and pain ridden!"

"Well, you didn't have to do that," Harry said.

"Nrrrrrgghhh!" Hermione pulled at her hair.

"You're going to make her implode one of these days," Ron told him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why did you guys heal me? Why didn't we just go to Saint Mungo's?"

"There are Death Eaters outside."

"What? Why?"

"No idea. But with you hurt, and us outnumbered, we'll have to stay here until they leave."

"Damn. Are you sure they won't find us?"

"Hopefully not. This is a secret room."

"Do I look half as rough as you two? Wow, Ron…cool handprint on your arm!"

"Yeah, it is, isn't it?"

Hermione banged her head against her knees. "Boys."

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_We're all very happy! We have just completed the first step of our conquest. We haven't destroyed the evidence yet, but after all the challenges that have been provided; it should prove easy._

_Harry is injured, and Ron and I had a few scrapes, but we've healed most of them up by now. Still very tired. Due to forces beyond our control, we are not yet on the move again, but we are fine, it gives us a chance to talk and relax in our present housings…Crookshanks is fine, and knows not to meow despite being cooped up, he's a very smart cat. The owls are behaving as well. I will not be able to send this letter for a while._

_I am so glad we have completed the first step. Our journey has been harrowing, but we survived, and it gives me hope we'll survive our next challenges._

_Ron and Harry are sarcastic and buoyant as usual…they exasperate me so much (especially Harry at this particular moment. He did something rash and thickheaded that I found quite frightening) bit I really don't know what I'd do without them._

_I hope you are well and not worrying about me too much. I haven't been keeping up with the news lately, but be assured, everyone is doing all they can to stop the madness._

_Well, I suppose that's all I have to say. Someday, I will describe what's going on here to you in detail. Don't worry._

_All my love,_

_Hermione. _

Every night, Hermione cast a See Through Spell to see if the Death Eaters were gone. A couple of times, footsteps walked right past them, and they sat frozen in fear. They had even decided not to destroy the Horcrux until after they got out of here, in case the destruction of it had some effect that alerted the Death Eaters.

But nobody had discovered the room, and despite these frightening circumstances they managed to make themselves comfortable.

About three days in, they were sitting around a magical fire- smokeless, traceless and controlled- and just talking. Hermione felt content, sitting with her two friends around the warmth. Once again, they were discussing what they would do after. After the war. After Voldemort. After everything. Harry seemed uncomfortable discussing this, she could tell part of him didn't think there would be an after, for him, there would only be an end. She hated that, because she still hoped, and she didn't know what she'd do if either of her boys died.

But Ron kept urging and eventually Harry got into the discussion.

"I guess I'll be an Auror or something," Harry said. "Though, I might be tired by then…of fighting…of being seen…I dunno."

"But wouldn't it be cool if all three of us were Aurors?" Ron asked. "I mean, you and Hermione would be great at it!"

Hermione knew what Ron was looking for and gave it to him. "So would you."

Ron's ears turned red, and he said, "I might get by."

"It would be sort of…well, like what we do anyway. Not much of a change. I could handle that job. But I don't really know what I want to be," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Hard to pick when you can be anything," Ron said.

"Not a professional Quidditch player," Hermione taunted back.

"Oh, God, no!"

"Hey!"

Harry laughed.

"Harry could play for England if he wanted to. We might actually win if he was on the team."

"You too, if you just get over your inferiority complex," Harry said dryly.

"Hey! I do not have an inferiority complex. You do!"

"No way. You do."

"Uh uh…Hermione does!"

"Oh yeah, right."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione snapped, but she couldn't help joining the boys in laughter.

"Where d'you suppose we'll live?

"I dunno…I'm so used to being with you two, or in school, it would be weird living alone," Harry said, lying back.

"The three of us could get a house together…" Hermione suggested.

"Yeah!" Ron perked up. "That would be so cool! I mean, I'm just sort of used to living with you two maniacs…"

"I'd like that," Harry smiled. "I wouldn't like being alone in the house…

"And with Hermione around, everything would be neat…" Ron said dreamily.

"If you think you're going to get away with not doing any housework…"

"You did a pretty good job on Harry's room back at Number Four…

"It was a pigsty! There was FOOD under the floorboards!"

Harry was leaned back against the wall. He smiled contentedly, but his eyes had a far away sort of look…Hermione knew how she felt. The more she talked about what it would be like after the war, the more she was convinced it was never going to be won.

That night, Hermione had a dream she was walking through a misty jungle with vine-covered trees. She was looking for Harry and Ron, but she called and called and couldn't find them. Lost, desperate, she ran through the forest, calling the names of everyone she knew. Her parents, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley…but nobody answered, to any name. She even got desperate and called out for Dumbledore and remembered he was dead. After a while, she was so frantic, she didn't care and called out his name again. She also called out for Sirius…the names echoed in the forest in a haunting hollow sort of way. She ran and cried, ran and cried, but no matter what, couldn't find a way out. After a while, she realized it wasn't vines looped in intricate knots around the trees…it was ropes. Nooses, to be precise.

_To the end of the Earth, I'll search for your face  
For the one who laid all of our beauty to waste  
Threw our hope into Hell and our children into the fire  
I am the one who crawled through the wire  
I am the one who crawled through the wire_

_There's a million sad stories on the side of the road  
Strange how we all just got used to the blood  
Millions of stories that'll never be told  
Silent and froze in the mud  
Silent and froze in the mud_

_I know a cold as cold as it gets  
I know a darkness that's darker than cold  
A wind that blows as cold as it gets  
Blew out the light of my soul  
Blew out the light of my soul_

_I dream in my sleep, I dream in my days  
Of some sunny street not so far away  
Where up in a window a curtain will sway  
And you and I'll meet down below  
You and I'll meet down below_

_I know a cold as cold as it gets  
I fight a war, I may never see won  
I live only to see you live to regret  
Everything that you done  
Everything that you done  
Everything that you done_

_- Cold As It Gets _By Patty Griffin


	16. Dead

Chapter Sixteen  
Dead

"...Harry?"  
Harry jumped and he spun around to face Hermione.  
"Oh! Er, Hermione! What are you doing up so late?"  
"Working on the encoded letters we found," Hermione gestured to the papers before you.  
"And you?"  
"Couldn't sleep," Harry mumbled.  
He turned back to stare at the fire, flickering and dancing in a manic sort of way. Hermione regarded him carefully.  
"Harry, do you have nightmares?"  
"Huh?"  
"Nightmares...do you have them?"  
Harry looked at her for a moment. "Uh...yeah. Do you not remember fifth year at all?"  
"I meant now."  
"Oh...uh...I just can't sleep."  
"I'd have nightmares, if I were you," Hermione said.  
"That makes me feel great, Hermione."  
"I didn't mean it that way."  
"I know," Harry was silent for a moment. "I don't have nightmares right now...I did a few months ago...but now they're just sort of...I don't know it they're dreams or not."  
"Erm?"  
"It's like...there's this darkness. And it's so empty. And I feel trapped. And when I wake up, I can't tell if that's just dreaming...or just me sleeping. If it's a nightmare...or just...my life."  
"Oh...Harry..."  
"Don't "Oh, Harry" me. I'm being overdramatic. I'm just restless these days. To get it over with. I'm tired of waiting to die."  
"WHAT?"  
"Be quiet," Harry gestured at Ron who was snoring.  
"Harry...you aren't...going to die! That...waiting to...die!"  
"I didn't mean it that way! Ignore me, I'm tired! I...don't think I'm going to...well I might...but I...er..hope not!"  
"Harry, you can't die. You just CAN'T!" Hermione slammed down the papers, her voice shaking.  
"Uhhh...Hermione...you are aware that unlike Voldemort, I am not currently immortal?"  
"I meant NOW."  
"If I feel a heart attack coming on, I'll let you know."  
"Stop being SARCASTIC."  
"Ha! You're always sarcastic."  
"Since when?"  
"When you think Ron and I are being stupid..."  
"Ah, all the time then."  
"See?"  
Hermione rolled her eyes. There was another moment of solitude before Harry muttered, "Wish we could Apparate out of here."  
"Yes. Though I suppose Borgin would put an anti apparition spell on this shop. We'll have to come up with a plan. Still, we need the time to heal."  
"Heal..."  
"Or sleep. We seem not to be doing that very well though."  
"So we're healing...?"  
"Mostly you."  
"I'm sorry I dragged you two into this."  
"Oh, not this again. Honestly, Harry, you did not so much drag us into this as it was Ron and I clinging onto your legs and refusing to let go while you tried to walk away from us."  
"Nice metaphor there."  
"Honestly..."  
A rattling snore filled the room. Hermione looked to the side, seeing Ron lolling in his sleeping bag.  
"There's one person not having nightmares..." Hermione smiled.  
"Wait...do you have nightmares?"  
"No," Hermione tried to sound truthful. Harry had enough problems, she figured. Harry accepted this with a nod. Ha. No matter what Ron said, she was a good liar after all.  
She sighed and returned to her code, pausing occasionally to smile at Ron's snoring countenance or glance at Harry's still one. Really, to make sure they were still there.

"And that is how I saved the world," Ron finished grandly.  
"That's not how it happened," Hermione snorted.  
"Yes it is!"  
"You did not "fling yourself in front of me" or tell the queen to...er..."  
"Piss off..."  
"Yes! Nor did you make that long-winded speech. And I NEVER WHIMPERED!"  
"You did."  
"You're full of it."  
"It what?"  
"Honestly..."  
"You should have that tattooed on your forehead, you like saying it so much...I was a macho man..."  
"You were very brave, but you were NOT this...knight in shining armor over muscled..."  
"Actually..."  
"Okay, you were a knight. But you're story is about as ridiculous as me saying...er...I wrestled with the Devil's Snare with my bare hands..."  
"While screaming "OH MY GOD WE NEED WOOD!"  
"I did not!"  
"Did too!"  
"I'm Muggle born all right! Sometimes I don't-"  
"I hate to interrupt your bickering, but I have a plan to get us out of here!" Harry said suddenly emerging from the back of the room.  
"Really?" Hermione and Ron spun around.  
Harry pulled up some silvery material. "Invisibility Cloak!"  
Hermione gasped. "I forgot we had that!"  
"Me too...stupid right? We can just sneak past the Death Eaters."  
"Fantastic!"  
"We have to be careful though...the cloak doesn't cover us as much as it used too...but I say we strike tonight..."

Through the silver folds of the cloak, Hermione unlocked the door. Ron was kneeling like a hunchback...Harry looked alert with his wand out...Hermione led them, tiptoeing ever so carefully through the halls. They made it out the front door and past the black robed figures in the mist...sneaking closer and closer to the fireplace until...Somehow, Ron's foot became entangled with Hermione's. She tried desperately not to trip, and almost succeeded, but Harry fell against them as well...and they tumbled down with a crash the cloak flying up around them. Death Eaters spun and began shooting spells at them. Ripping the Invisibility Cloak off Harry began shooting spells back and Ron and Hermione joined in.  
"Oh my God! That's Harry Potter!"  
"STUN HIM! The Dark Lord needs him alive! Kill the others!"  
The three of them ran for it dodging the various spells. A pink flash of light caught Hermione in the ankle just as they reached the fireplace. Horrible pain shot up her leg and she fell forward, screaming. Harry and Ron caught her and dragged her into the fireplace. Ron screamed "THE BURROW!" with all his might, and before the Death Eaters could reach them, the three disappeared in a cloud of flame.

The trio tumbled down helplessly onto the cold kitchen floor, Hermione was writhing in pain now, her eyes had spots in them.  
"BLOODY HELL!" Ginny's ringing tones reached her ears. "What the- you three- what?"  
"Hermione's hurt!" Harry stated the obvious empathetically to Ginny and the two boys heaved Hermione up on the table.  
"What's wrong with her?" Ginny cried.  
"Curse...we need to counter it..."  
Hermione was practically blind now, her leg was aching terribly, the voices pounding her head.  
"There's bound to be a countercurse in one of her books...get them!" she heard Ron command.  
There was a shuffling and she heard Ginny muttering titles until..."Advanced Countercurses! Here! Description..." She heard a flipping of pages. "...Inflamed skin, blood red veins, sweating...those are her symptoms...though the curse has devastating effect the countercurse is relatively simple..."Just concentrate and say Arsineal Abenwick!"  
Harry said the words, pointing his wand at Hermione's ankle. Very suddenly, her pain receded and her eyes were filled with dazzling light. She was dizzy and drenched with sweat.  
"Hermione?" Ginny's fuzzy face appeared before her. "Are you okay?'  
"Yes...I think so...Hi Ginny..." Hermione said weakly.  
Ginny wrapped her in a hug and Ron squeezed her hand. Harry grinned at her hugely.  
Suddenly they heard a knock on the door.  
"Ginny???!!!" Mrs. Weasley's voice trilled. "I'm home!!!"  
The four teenagers stared popeyed at each other as they heard the door click open.  
"You three are dead..." Ginny whispered.

"People living deeply have no fear of death."-Anais Nin


	17. Yell

Chapter Seventeen

Yell

Before Harry, Ron, or Hermione could react, Mrs. Weasley had stepped into the kitchen, her arms full of vegetables.

"Ginny, can you help me with these? I need them chopped for dinner tonight-" Mrs. Weasley looked up and saw whom Ginny was with. She dropped the vegetables, her mouth agape.

"You three-?" She stammered.

"Um…." Ron began.

"OH MY GOD, YOU'RE ALL RIGHT!"

Without further ado, Mrs. Weasley swept the three of them into a bone-crushing hug, making Hermione feel very suffocated.

"Gah!" Ron exclaimed.

When she finally let go of them, Hermione swept her hair out of her eyes and looked up.

"I thought-you're all right! Oh my God, I was so worried…are you hurt? You don't look hurt?"

"Uh…" Harry seemed speechless.

"I was SO WORRIED! I'm so glad you're alive! I-I- how could you do that? How could you just disappear on us like that? Do you have any idea what your father and I went through? What we all went through? How on EARTH COULD YOU DO THAT?"

Hermione could now see Mrs. Weasley was working herself into righteous rage. Harry cut her off.

"Mrs. Weasley, this is all my fault. I'm the one who wanted to leave because I knew the Death Eater thing at the wedding was my fault. Ron and Hermione wanted to come along, but I really should have tried harder to stop them. I'm really sorry."

Mrs. Weasley stared at Harry, her lip quivering. For a second, Hermione thought she was going to yell again. But instead, she scooped Harry into her arms, breaking down crying.

She let go of him wiping her eyes. "You must be starving…I'll get you some food."

Ginny, who had been watching the whole thing in bemusement, now rolled her eyes, while the trio exchanged stunned looks.

Before Hermione knew it, she was sitting at the table next to Ron, while Mrs. Weasley prepared ten kinds of food. She let loose a stream of admonishments at them while she cooked, but she wasn't yelling. As she shoved the plates at the table, Ginny sat casually next to Harry, making him look uncomfortable and dig into his tripe with more relish than was absolutely necessary. Ginny complicated matters even more by pressing her arm against his and Hermione couldn't help but smile. But as Mrs. Weasley was telling Ron that Hogwarts was opening late this year, a week from now at the beginning of November, Ginny noticed something.

"Um, Harry, why are you using your fork with your left hand?"

Hermione's head snapped up immediately. "What? Harry, it's been a week, your hand is supposed to be all right by now."

"It is!" Harry assured her. "It's just-um not quite, as well as it could be yet…"

"But it's SUPPOSED to be. It's supposed to have gotten better!"

"It is getting better! It's just taking a while!"

"It's taking too long!"

"What are you talking about?" Ginny interjected.

"Harry hurt his hand, Ron and I fixed it, it was supposed to be better by now," Hermione said shortly.

"It is better!"

Mrs. Weasley had joined the group now, looking slightly shocked. "Use your fork with your right hand then."

"Er…" Harry tried clumsily to pick up his fork, managed to spear some food on it, but as he tried to bring it to his mouth, his fingers slipped and he dropped it on the plate.

"All right, you lot, let's get this checked out," Mrs. Weasley said briskly. "Off to St. Mungo's, come on."

"It really is getting better," Harry said. "It's just taking a bit longer…"

"We were going to check it out anyway remember?" Hermione said. She turned slightly as she thought she saw something flash in the corner of her eye. "Hmmm…"

The five of them crowded into the fireplace, and before they knew it, they were in St. Mungo's waiting room, which was filled with people.

"Now, we'll just get this checked out. Maybe you two need to be checked too, I have no idea what you've been doing…" Mrs. Weasley muttered.

"What have you been doing?" Ginny whispered to Hermione.

"Stuff to stop Voldemort," Hermione whispered back.

"Can't you tell me?"

"You'll have to talk to Harry about that. I think we should tell you. I'll try to get him to."

"Okay, thanks for the letters, by the way," Ginny said in a normal voice. "Mum would've gone spare without them." She turned to Ron. "Notice you didn't send any."

"Figure Hermione wrote enough for all three of us combined," Ron shrugged.

One again, Hermione thought she saw something yellow at the corner of her eye. The room seemed dimmer…she looked around. Ron was looking at his feet, Ginny was talking animatedly, and Harry was listening to something Mrs. Weasley was saying in confusion… nothing yellow…

Then she saw it. The eyes. She gasped and jumped back.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked.

"Eyes…" Hermione muttered. "Must've imagined them."

"Huh? Hey, what's with Harry?"

Harry was not staring at Mrs. Weasley in shock, backing away slightly. Ron was tugging at his pant legs.

"What's with you-?" Ginny began, but suddenly there was a flash of darkness and yellow eyes were in front of her. Hermione began to scream, but as soon as she started, it was gone, a bemused Ginny in it's place.

"Oh my God! Hermione, your arm! It's turning green!"

Hermione looked down and saw Ginny was right with a jolt. She remembered seeing her skin looking slightly greenish after fighting off the yellow-eyed projection of her fears…she had thought little of it…

"Oh no," Hermione muttered. She looked at Ron who was climbing up on a chair, and Harry whose face was getting whiter and whiter the more Mrs. Weasley tried desperately to ask him what was wrong.

"Ginny…I think…we've been…cursed…" Hermione managed to say, before the redhead was plowed down by a yellow eyed monster.

"GINNY!" All was dark. The monster snarled at her. Somehow through the pitch black she could see blood dripping from it's fangs.

"AIIIIEEEE!" She let out a scream.

"Get them…hospital…sedatives…cursed…"

The monster was ripping off someone's head, was it Harry's or Ron's?

"Harry! I don't hate you! …I AM NOT SIRIUS! Ron, stop, there's no dead hands…Hermione! Bloody knock them out already!"

"RON! Dear, wake up! Hermione! Harry!"

The monsters breath was on her face, she couldn't move…. she could see everybody, everybody she cared about down it's throat…waiting for her to join them…she couldn't see…she was helpless…

"HELP!" she cried.

"You heard her!"

Everything was darkness now.

I wouldn't have died if it weren't for you…you tried to save me, but you ended up killing me. You were too angry, too selfish, too shortsighted. NOW LOOK AT ME.

_Slimy dead hands, grabbing his ankles pulling him down. The hands were connected to torsos…faces…sightless dead faces…yet they looked familiar…_

_Teeth gnawed at her skin…foul breath stung her nostrils…she was useless against creatures…she was useless…where was everyone…_

_Death followed you since the day you were born…death follows you wherever you go…you can't win…_

_Sightless, eyeless, thoughtless…Harry? Hermione? Mum? They all stared blankly…dead…pulling him down…_

_Everyone was gone…she was all alone with the monster…so many mistakes…she hated mistakes…she was the last one. And she was going to fail._

_You should have tried harder. You don't think this will keep going? Everyone will die. Everyone who knows you. I learned that the hard way. You can't stop it._

_Dead flesh…made his skin crawl…everyone…he was being pulled down into a living graveyard…_

_Blood…everywhere…blood…dead…she couldn't see it…she couldn't fight it…if only she'd said goodbye…_

_You think you can stop me? You're just a kid. You will fail. You know you will._

_You _

_Will_

_All _

_Fail._

_Hear a sound_

_No._

_What?_

_No._

_No._

_Okay, then._

_You are so weird._

_Ron?_

_Hermione? _

_Harry?_

_DEATH._

_Shut up!_

_You okay?_

_Cured._

_Cool._

_DIE!_

_STOP IT! _

Hermione woke up, her breathing shallow. She was in…snow? No, it was just a white room. St. Mungo's!

"Hello," A Healer was standing over her.

"Oh…hi…what happened?"

"You were victim of an advanced curse. We weren't sure exactly what it was. But it looks like we cured it."

_IWe?/I _Hermione looked down at her arms. They were no longer green in any way. "What about-?"

"Hermione!" Ginny came rushing in the room. "You're awake too! Harry and Ron just woke up as well!"

"Uhhhh…"

"The three of you were having some sort of fit. God, it was scary. They fixed Harry's hand, said it was just healing a bit slowly. Commended whoever did it. Said they reattached all the bones perfectly. Bet it was you. How did Harry get his arm cut off?"

"Er…"

"Oh, sorry," Ginny hugged Hermione. "I'm glad you're all right."

"How long were we sick?"

"Five hours. Even after you were unconscious, you were screaming and your body was jumping around…here comes Mum."

"Hermione! You're awake too, dear. All three of you woke up at the same time! How are you feeling?" Mrs. Weasley bustled beside Hermione's bed.

"Everything's normal. She just needs to rest," the Healer informed Mrs. Weasley.

"It's the same with Harry and Ron, ohhhh…" Mrs. Weasley hugged Hermione. "What on earth happened?"

"I have no idea.…" Hermione muttered.

"Well, St. Mungo's is going to keep you for a few hours. We've got the rest of the family here, well, except for Percy, we can't reach him, Charlie's going to leave as soon as we get you three home…but they should be by…. here's Fred and George!"

Mrs. Weasley swept out of the room so the twins could sweep in.

"Hermione's up!" George dumped several items from Weasley's Wizarding Wheeze's in her lap. "Presents!"

"Er, thanks," Hermione said.

"Skiving Snackboxes. Oh, yeah, that's a great gift for Hermione," Ginny said.

"I know she has a secret desire for them," George said confidently.

"So what were you doing in your leave of absence?" Fred asked. "Let me guess, you and Ron eloped!"

"Ew!"

"Why would Harry go with them, then?" Ginny rolled her eyes.

"To watch, of course. Nigh inseparable, you three."

"Yeah…" George said. "The others may have been worried about you, but we weren't."

"Nope, not us."

"They were," Ginny whispered.

"So, when are we going to tell Mum about the happy couple?" George asked.

"I wish I was unconscious again," Hermione groaned.

"She made a joke!"

"Now there's something you don't see every day. Document it, George!"

"Leave her alone you two," Bill said from the doorway. "Hi Hermione."

And every member of the family came by to visit Hermione. In a couple hours though, they were discharged, and able to go back to the Burrow. Harry's hand worked perfectly now, and Ron was okay as well. They all wanted to know where the three of them had been.

"We have to tell them," Hermione muttered to Harry.

"I promised Dumbledore I wouldn't tell anyone but you two!" Harry hissed.

"Things have changed. We can't not tell them. Mum will decapitate us," Ron muttered.

"I promised! I can't break it."

"Hmmm…" Ron mused. "I don't recall making a promise. Hermione?"

"Nope. Looks like we're in the clear," they both looked at Harry.

"They won't let us go."

"They wouldn't anyhow. We'll have to sneak out by ourselves, in a few days."

Harry was silent for a moment, looking into his cup of tea very sadly. Hermione wished once again that Harry and Ron would TALK about things. But she was fighting a losing battle.

"All right. You can tell. But just Ginny and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," Harry sighed.

"Cool!" Ginny suddenly popped out of nowhere.

"AAACK! GINNY!" Ron jumped as did Harry and Hermione.

"So tell me, tell me!" Ginny jumped into a chair beside them.

"Were you SPYING on us?" Ron cried.

"No, I was just coming into the kitchen."

"Yeah, I believe that."

"Grow up, Ron. So TELL ME! You just said you would."

"You scared us!" Ron snapped, clearly still angry.

Ginny rolled her eyes and turned to Hermione. "Hermione? You'll tell me won't you?"

Hermione looked over at her friends. Ron was sulking now. Harry shrugged at her and went back to his tea.

"Okay, Ginny," Hermione began. "Now this may come as a bit of a shock, but, well, there was a sort of…prophecy…"

"Truth and belief are a stallion and a mule," –What Happened to Lani Garver, By Carol Plum- Ucci


	18. Left Behind

Chapter Eighteen

Left Behind

"So, you have to destroy this thing?" Ginny was looked down at the bloodstained gauntlet at the center of the table. She had taken the news about the Prophecy and Horcruxes rather well, quietly listening to Hermione explain the long complicated story. Afterwards there was a long silence, until Ginny said "All right, where's the Horcrux then?"

"It's very dangerous," Hermione whispered. "If we mess with it, it could explode or something."

"We should blow it up!" Ron said. "That way it won't matter when it explodes."

"That's not the_ point,_ Ron-"

"I don't think we have to blow it up," Harry said thoughtfully. "Ginny, could you hand me that knife?"

Ginny handed Harry Mrs. Weasley's carving knife, neither making eye contact with the other.

Harry plunged the knife squarely through the gauntlet, and it fell apart. Some sort of misty substance floated out of it, making Harry jump back, and then evaporated.

"Well, that was easy," Ron said.

"How'd you know to do that?" Ginny asked.

"It's not hard to destroy a Horcrux; it's the obstacles we have to go through that make it dangerous. That's why Voldemort put them up in the first place. When I battled Tom Riddle in the Chamber of Secrets, all I had to do to destroy the diary was stab it. I figured it was the same here."

"Oh, you_ figured_, didn't you?" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Don't go into lecture mode, Hermione…"

"Well, _honestly_! Talk about rash!_Boys…_"

"We should celebrate or something!" Ron interrupted. He pulled out his wand and summoned a bottle from the cupboard. "Firewhisky!"

"Oh yes, let's rely on alcohol to be our form of amusement…"

"Do you ever stop nagging?"

"I call the large mug!"

"This gauntlet was a thousand years old, belonged to Godric Gryffindor and we destroyed it…"

"Reparo!"

"Oh. Well that was easy…"

"TOASTS!"

"You people are mad…"

"What are you doing, Ron?" Hermione found Ron in the corner of his room.

"Er…nothing…"

"Oh my God!" Hermione gasped. "You're WRITING!"

"Hey! It isn't THAT surprising!" Ron brandished his quill at Hermione.

"Why?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"I'm taking a leaf out of your book," Ron mumbled.

"What?"

"I'm writing a letter to Mum and Dad explaining everything. I'm going to say goodbye and leave the letter on the table. Harry didn't want me too, but I talked him into it. I don't need the third degree."

"And when are we leaving?"

"Tomorrow."

"Were you two planning to tell me this anytime soon?"

"I thought we did tell you. Any idea how to SPELL Horcrux?"

"H-O-R-C-R-U-X. No, you didn't tell me."

"Oh. Well, now you know."

"Well, thanks for informing me! I'm going to my room."

"Ginny's room."

"Yes, that."

Hermione marched out, not before rolling her eyes at Ron one last time.

She found Ginny sitting on her bed.

"Hi. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Things are pretty much the same, really…I always knew Voldemort would always try to kill Harry, and Harry would always fight him. The only difference now is there's a prophecy, and is Harry is the ONLY one who can kill Voldemort, and that his immortal soul is split in to sevenths which you three are hunting down and destroying."

"Pretty much," Hermione sat down beside her. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you before."

"That's all right. You made a promise."

"Ron says we're leaving tomorrow. He's writing a letter to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley like I did to my parents."

"Tomorrow?" Ginny looked startled.

"Yes, we have to get a move on."

"I want to come."

"But school starts next week, since it opened late. You should at least stay for your sixth year."

"_You_ dropped out, Hermione. Whoa. That's a sentence I never thought I'd say," Ginny said.

"Don't remind me," Hermione groaned. "You'll have to talk to Harry about coming with us. It's his mission…quest…thing."

Ginny sighed and leaned back. "Everything's so messed up."

"I know," Hermione put her arm around her friend.

"I'm scared for him," she muttered. "And you…Ron…everyone."

"Yes," Hermione sighed. "Me too."

They woke up very early in the morning and went outside. Ginny was waiting for them.

"What are you doing up?" Harry asked in surprise.

"Waiting up for you."

"How did you-Hermione!" Harry turned on her.

Hermione shrugged. "I wasn't aware it was a secret."

"I want to come with you," Ginny said staunchly.

"Ginny…"

"I know the dangers now, all right? Why can't I come?"

"Mum would have a fit with both of us gone," Ron warned her.

Ginny looked uncertain at this.

"Ginny…" Harry ran his hands through his perpetually messy hair. "Can I go talk to her alone?" he asked Ron.

"Er…okay…"

"He doesn't OWN me, okay?" Ginny snapped.

"C'mon, Ginny, let's go over here, I need to talk to you…please?" Harry pleaded.

Ginny followed him huffily, Ron watching after them with lingering uncertainty. Hermione gripped his hand, making him jump. "It'll be fine."

Ron turned beet red as he stared down and Hermione's hand clasped in his, but managed to say. "I know. I trust Harry." He gripped her hand back.

"I thought he was stupid for thinking I'd punch him out for going out with Ginny. I'd rather her be with him than anyone else. He's nice…to people. Even when he breaks up with them. Anyway, that way I can make SURE her doesn't do anything bad!"

Hermione laughed and let go of his hand. A few minutes later, Harry and Ginny emerged. Hermione could tell from the expression on her face Harry had convinced her to stay.

"I told her where we'd be going," Harry said, looking flustered. "In case she ever NEEDS to find us," he put emphasis on the needs. Ginny rolled her eyes and went to do the customary hug to both Hermione and Ron.

"Take care," she squeezed Hermione hard. "Thanks for telling me."

"Have fun in school. We'll be back, I promise. All of us."

Ginny exchanged goodbyes with Ron, the stepped back. The three best friends gripped each other's hands, and spun off into oblivion.

They landed in front of a library.

"Hermione," Ron said grumpily. "Now ISN'T the time for fresh reading material."

"Actually, I figured we needed to go here to find information on the orphanage where Voldemort lived. I think we should go there now."

They entered the library. Hermione's heart couldn't help but be warmed by the vast array of dusty knowledge. There was always something comforting about a library. As they passed volume after volume, Hermione brushed her fingers on the spines, remembering when she had the time to read for hours and hours, and wishing she could do so now…

"Hermione, stop drooling! We need your help!" Ron said impatiently.

"Fine," Hermione snapped irritably. "Harry, do you know anything about the orphanage? The name of it? The town?"

"It was in London and matroned by a…Mrs. Cole…in the 1940's-ish…." Harry squinted in thought.

Hermione quickly did the math in her head, figuring the year when Tom Riddle would have been eleven. She looked around; saw no people or electronic recording devices.

"All right, stand back!"

She pulled out her wand and whispered some words, doing a complicated movement. A book flew off the shelf and into her hands, open to a description of a London orphanage matroned by a Mrs. Cole 1935-1950. There was also a picture.

"That's it!" Harry said.

"How did you do that?" Ron asked.

"The spell will locate any book with all the keywords. I learned it in fourth year when we were trying to figure out the second task," Hermione said.

Ron took the book, looking at its title. "Big Book of Orphanages…okayyyy…"

Hermione grabbed it back from Ron and found the address. "Got it!"

"Okay, let's go," Harry said and they stepped outside the library and Disapparated. They appeared on the street where the orphanage would be, and after walking up it…saw something.

"Oh…my…"

**-** **Beast Boy:** British engineering, love. Finest in the world.  
**Raven:** Can you _please_ stop talking like that?  
**Beast Boy:** You're just jealous because I sound like a rock star.

Teen Titans


	19. Built and Broken

Chapter Nineteen

Built and Broken

"The whole place…it's been torn down!" Ron exclaimed.

Indeed, all that was left of the orphanage was a mass of rubble, steel beams and bricks, quartered off by yellow tape.

Hermione saw a torn dilapidated sign with the name of the orphanage on the edge of the rubble.

"Well…I suppose you can't expect these places to stand forever."

Harry and Ron tore through the tape and surveyed the wreckage.

"Great. Then a Horcrux is probably not here," Harry said. "There's another option down the drain. OW!" Harry rubbed his hand. "Gah! It's hurting."

"What? It's not supposed to hurt, St. Mungo's healed it!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Hey…I see something." Ron pointed to the far end of the rubble. "What's that package doing there?"

The three of them scrambled over to the wrapped yellow package, mysteriously untouched by the demolition.

"Weird," Harry picked it up carefully and opened it.

"What the-?" Ron cried as a locket with a snake carved on it fell out, only saved from crashing to the ground by Harry's quick reflexes.

"Oh my God!" Hermione gasped.

"No way," Harry said wonderingly. "I don't believe it." He held it up by the chain. "It's…the real…locket."

"Just in a package?" Hermione said. "Lying on the ground?"

"R.A.B.," Harry muttered. "Who…?"

"There's a note," Ron pointed out. "A _novel_, I should say. Not more reading!"

"Give me that!" Hermione snapped, grabbing the papers. She unfolded them carefully and began to read them aloud.

_Last Will and Testament of R.A.B._

_As I write this, my mind feels wonderfully clear. For once in my life I can see everything sharp and unmuddled. I have never been on such a high since before he robbed me of my mind. And I know it will wear off, just as I know he will come for me, just as I know I am mad. _

_I have hidden this object in the best way I know. Hopefully whoever finds it will use it for good or something, I don't really care. I got my revenge. Finally._

_My name is Rachel Amy Benson. I grew up in an orphanage. At our orphanage, we had a bully. A small boy called Tom Riddle. But Tom Riddle was no ordinary bully. He had strange powers. You may not believe me, nobody else has, but he did. I was a plucky little girl, and often contested Tom, despite the fact everyone else was afraid of him. One day, Tom had enough. On a class picnic, he took a boy and me up to the cave…and showed us…things. I'm not quite sure what he did to us, and I don't like to talk about it. But I was robbed of my pluckiness; I was robbed of my mind. I was plagued by phantoms, terrified of everything around me and when I told Ms. Cole he had cursed me, she thought I had gone mad. But I knew that this was true…Tom Riddle was a demon, a devil, and a witch! He was pure evil, sent to torment us all. He went off to some sort of school, with some old man. I knew it was a school for devilry. Whenever he came for summers, strange things happened to us. Finally he left us forever, thank God. But I was still cursed, still terrified. Oh, how I hated him for doing this to me. Oh, how I wished him dead._

_Some distant family found me, and pitied me. They got me a doctor. I knew he could not help me, I was cursed. He was a strange man, seemed to be…extraordinary. And…he helped me. I do not know how, but he did. I got a little better under his care. One day, he took me back to the cave where the boy had tormented me so long ago. He said it would help me get through my fears._

_I fought him hard on that, but he got me there…and seemed just as disturbed as I was at the place. He ran his fingers across the wall, his brow furrowed._

"_Amy," he said (for I go by my middle name). "Tell me again what happened here?"_

_I told him of the boy cursing me. He sat down next to me, silent for quite a while, muttering the boy's name over and over again. "Tom Marvolo Riddle. Tom Marvolo Riddle."_

_For some reason, I decided to confide in him. "One summer, when I was fourteen, he came back to the orphanage for the break. He was brooding and I was babbling…on…he pulled out a stick and waved it at me. It scared me. He said something to me…taunting me…and he mentioned his…true name…was Voldemort."_

_At this, my doctor's face turned white. "Oh my God, Amy. Don't say the name."_

_And…he was in shock for a while…then he whispered. "Amy, I don't think you're mad."_

_I was completely shocked by this. "What?"_

And he explained to me that he was not a mere doctor, that he was wizard. He said he was "Muggle born" (Tom called me a Muggle a few times. (Apparently it means non magic) and wanted to help regular people. He went into mental care, and would always take on cases of people saying they had been cursed. Half the time, it turned out they really had been, and he was able to undo the damage with his magic. He had been interested in me and come to help. He said the curse on me was the rare curse that didn't have a countercurse…but that therapy would help work it out of my system.

_He said Tom had taken on the name "Voldemort' (though he refused to speak it) and had committed horrible crimes- murder and the like. He was still at large._

_I believed him. It fit with everything I knew._

_He went on to say that he felt magic in this cave- despite his chosen profession, Dr. Collins was a very powerful wizard. He said he thought Tom must have been hiding something in there- he pointed to a wall and said behind there. He started saying something about calling the "awroars" but I felt a madness grip me. So much hate, so much hurt…I began clawing madly at the wall that separated me from Tom's secret. Collins tried to force me back, but I fought viciously, pounding my fists against the wall until they bled._

_Then…the door began to glow…Collins pulled me back, my blood was streaked on the stone wall. The door opened._

_Collins forgot all about the "awroars" as he dragged me through the archway, awestruck._

_We came to a lake- greenish and wild. I recognized the lake- remembered that the cave had been bigger before. Somehow, he had sealed the lake off from the rest of the cave. He took me to the lake. That was where he tortured Dennis and myself._

_The Island at the middle of the lake-that had not been there before. Collins muttered something about how we shouldn't go in the water-that it was probably cursed-but like a zombie I found myself drawn to one spot on the coast._

"_This is where he did it," I whispered. "This is where he cursed me…"_

_Collins looked surprised. "Something's here…" he said, and he reached out his hand and grasped thin air…then a boat appeared._

_We went on the boat, across the lake, and I looked down and saw dead bodies in the water. Collins was deeply disturbed by this, said they were probably "In-fer-eye"- zombies- but I was unmoved. Dead bodies do not scare me. They have been in my dreams too long._

_At the island we found a cauldron. Collins pulled out a stick like Tom's- wand- and murmured strange words for ages. He tried to poke it with his wand- his hands- but it was like there was a forcefeild there. Finally he said "the only way to empty the cauldron is to drink the potion-and it's most likely a horrible poison. We need to get the awroars. This would be an important secret of the Dark Lord's (that is what he called Tom) and dangerous. After they wipe your memory, they'll-"_

"_Wipe my memory?" I cried._

_He stopped, realizing he had said too much. "Well…maybe…I can convince them…er, not to."_

_I knew he was lying._

"_I don't want my memory wiped. I don't want to forget. I want to discover Tom's secret. I want revenge on the boy who made my life hell."_

"_Amy-"_

"_And how don't I know this charm will not make me go mad?"_

"_It won't…"_

"_I don't trust your magic. I refuse to have my knowledge robbed from me."_

"_Amy, we will discuss this later."_

"_NO! I WILL NOT HAVE MY MIND MUDDLED AGAIN!" And with that, I picked up a goblet he had conjured in his musings, scooped the potion up, and forced it into his mouth. In my anger, in my madness, I did not care what happened to him. He screamed and jerked, and the poison had a horrible effect on him, but I felt no sympathy. Like everybody else, he wanted to poison my mind. I forced the poison on him again and again, and he seemed to take it quietly after a while, though he screamed when it took effect. Eventually, I emptied the cauldron. And as Collins lay there, twitching and dying, he screamed for water. But I did not feel moved to help him. And Collins had said, anyway, if I touched the water, the dead bodies would most likely attack me._

_So I watched him suffer. I watched, without remorse, without pity._

_And at the bottom of the cauldron was a locket. It was heavy, and marked with snake. It had something inside it. Something I could break._

_I cracked the locket open on the stone. And…shiny wisp of smoke escape…and Collins though he was barely alive, spoke in shock at this._

"_H-Horcrux…it's…his…soul…he's…immortal…"_

_And he died._

_I had a locket around my neck too. It had pictures of my mother and father in it. I ripped them out, and using strange paper in Collins bag wrote a note, telling Tom I had found his secret, I, a lowly Muggle had gotten my revenge. I was cryptic…I wondered how long he would take to guess it was me. I used the word "Horcrux", making me sound oh so knowledgeable…the locket had held his soul. Now it was gone. He was mortal. Everything felt so clear…my brain working like a machine. I placed the note in my own locket and left it in the cauldron. I took the snake one. _

_I left Collins body on the island, and rowed away. And standing placidly on the shore, I watched the dead bodies finally awake, and pull Collins to the water with them…and I shuddered, for I knew what I must do. I had become like Tom…I had not just been robbed of my mind by his curse, but my heart. I was dead inside. Tom. The last thing on earth I wanted was to be like him._

_Dead._

_Inside._

_So might as well be dead on the outside as well._

_I now know with out doubt that this "Horcrux" has been completely destroyed. I planned to incinerate the locket, get rid of it completely, just in case. But now, I think I will leave it here…as proof._

_Once he finds the Horcrux is destroyed, he will surely wish to kill me. But I shall play one last trick._

_I will beat him too it._

_Tom, if you are reading this, damn you._

_There is nothing you can do now. I am dead, the Horcrux is destroyed._

_And I, a silly girl, a lowly Muggle, have outsmarted you._

_Goodbye._

_-RACHEL AMY BENSON _

Hermione finished reading. Ron and Harry looked at her in shock. Then Harry slowly held up the locket. Though they had not noticed it before, it was cracked down the middle.

And stained with blood.

"It is better to die on your feet than live on your knees"- Delores Ibarruri


	20. Check and Mate

Beware of extreme unashamed fluff.

Chapter 20

Check and Mate

Hermione watched the frost ice the windows, making the outside world look blurry and static.

"What are you doing up so early?" Hermione heard Ron's voice behind her. She turned around to face him. "It's 11:30, Ron."

"Oh…Well, I call that early for a vacation," Ron stretched.

"Hmmph," she turned back to the window. "Where's Harry?"

"Still asleep. You were right to make us stay at the Leaky Cauldron to celebrate two Horcruxes down. He's completely conked out." Ron looked around. "So. I guess you've already eaten breakfast, eh?"

"Yes, but you know me, I'm always willing to sit with you and watch you talk with your mouth full."

"And that's why you're my best friend."

Hermione followed Ron to the table, finding comfort in the roaring fire of the nearly empty leaky cauldron. Tom had been overjoyed when they had made reservations here; there were hardly any daring to go outside now. They had been here a few days, and in those, a November snow had started in. Hermione was glad for the warmth, and of the cold outside. She'd always loved being cozy and watching the snowfall. She felt calm for the first time in ages, and found Ron absolutely adorable as he shoveled food into his mouth. So in bliss was she, she found herself imagining kissing him, and how it would feel. A strange thought to imagine kissing someone who now had a sausage hanging halfway out of his mouth, but she realized she had I_missed_/I Ron. Of course, she had been with him nonstop for the past few months, but not REALLY. Not had a chance to sit with him alone in the calm, with nothing dangerous going on. She continued to stare dreamily at him as he finished eating. He stared back at her, slightly confused. "Er, so…want to play chess?"

She agreed, and they played several games, all which she lost. It was because she was in such a kind mood, she told herself as she always did. That is why she allowed him to beat her. She felt sorry for him. Harry came down to watch a few games, then read Quidditch books for a while, then promptly fell asleep by the fire. Hermione hadn't realized how tired he was, perhaps he had not been able to sleep before because of nightmares, but in this calm setting his dreams were content, and Hermione was once again glad she had talked him into taking a break. Evening dawned with Harry still asleep, and Ron and Hermione continuing the play chess. At some point in the game, Hermione turned around to look at Harry. "He's so peaceful."

"Yeah, he's usually up all night. I hear him get up, or talking in his sleep. He can't let it go."

"It's been going on so long, I can't blame him."

"Any luck on that code?"

"I've got it half figured out. I can't make sense of it right now though."

"Half already? I thought it was the hardest code in the world or something."

"Well, most wizards aren't logical like I am. And I've been at it five months."

Ron yawned and stared at her with an odd look in his eye. Hermione felt an odd shiver. Was…he looking at her like she'd looked at him during breakfast?

"You're so smart," he said in a tired sort of voice. "And Harry's so…Harry. You're both amazing."

Hermione turned red. "Honestly, Ron, don't…"

"And…I'm stupid," Ron said in the same tired voice. He moved a chess piece without even looking.

"What?" Hermione said incredulously.

"I can't help Harry. I can't help him." Ron didn't seem to even be talking to Hermione. "I can't make bad things stop happening. I can't stop him…from dying. I don't want him to die."

"I don't either," Hermione said softly. "But Ron, what are you-?"

"And I only make things worse for you," Ron sighed.

"What on earth-?"

"Move, Hermione," Ron interrupted, and Hermione quickly moved her chess piece to take Ron's pawn. "I mean, last year. Lavender."

"Oh." Hermione said. "That. I always wanted to ask…why-?"

"I was jealous," Ron confessed. "Ginny told me you kissed Vicky."

"Viktor? How could I have kissed him? I haven't seen him-"

"I mean, in fourth year."

"Oh," Hermione blushed, remembering that day on the bridge when she had been complaining to Viktor about how tired she was, and he took her hand and- "Well, it was more like he kissed me. But that was years ago."

"I know. But I had never kissed anyone. I-I don't know. Ginny said-that I was the only one- and I was mad you hadn't told me-and I was stupid."

"Well, I did attack you with birds," Hermione shrugged. "I think we're even."

"I deserved it."

"Ron…you're acting very…not like you…" Hermione said.

Ron shrugged and gestured for her to move the chess piece, after listlessly moving his own. He stared at the board. "I don't want him to die, Hermione. I should die instead of him. I deserve it more."

It was such a horrible, self deprecating, and unexpected thing for him to say, Hermione found herself dashing around the table, grabbing him by the chin, and slapping him full on. He stared at her, shocked, as he stepped back, rubbing the angry red patch on his cheek. "Uh-?"

"I hate it when you do that," Hermione gasped. "I hate your stupid inferiority complex. You are one of the bravest smartest people I have ever known, and if I could bring myself to do it, I would jinx you so godly peregrine I _falcons_/I attacked you for talking like that. I DON'T WANT YOU TO DIE. How dare you say that? I don't- I-I-" She grabbed his hand, squeezing it hard, tears streaming down her cheeks. He leaned forward. She leaned forward. And they kissed. She wrapped his arms around his neck and he forced her down into his lap, and they kissed. Again. And again. And again. When they finally broke apart, she gasped, "I love you." And he said, "Same here." And they kissed again. After what seemed like ages, blissful wonderful pride filled minutes, they broke apart once more, gasping. Hermione looked down at the chessboard. Ron did too. Hermione looked at how the pieces were arranged and broke into a grin. After all these years…"Checkmate." She took Ron's king with a flick of her hand. "I win." She resisted adding a "so there," but Ron would probably not have noticed anyway, as he had suddenly noticed by the fireplace that Harry was up and watching them bemusedly. "Well, it's about bloody time," he yawned, and Hermione didn't know if he meant her and Ron getting together, or her finally winning a chess game against Ron, but she never got to find out, because Harry quickly retreated from the room, and soon she was kissing Ron once more.

"Love is the extremely difficult realization that something other than one's self is real" –Dame Iris Murdoch


	21. Eloquence

Chapter 21

Eloquence

"So what's this?" Ron extracted up a ring, gold with a green skull on it, from Hermione's jacket pocket. They were alone in Ron and Harry's room. Hermione was supposed to be helping Ron pack, as they left the Leaky Cauldron to go back on the hunt tomorrow, but they had ended up kissing instead. Ron had stuffed his hands in her jacket pocket in an attempt to get closer.

Hermione stared at the ring; surprised she had forgotten finding it at Godric's Hollow. She had remembered it for a few days after keeping it, knowing she should show it to Harry and Ron, but unable to find the right moment to say, "By the way, Harry, I found this ring in your parents basement. It looks a little Death Eater-ish, but I'm sure it's, er, not." Then they had raided Borgin and Burkes and she had forgotten…she explained this to Ron. "Think we should tell Harry?"

"Eh, okay. HARRY!" Ron yelled really loudly.

"WHAT?"

"HERMIONE FOUND A RING AT YOUR PARENTS HOUSE AND FORGOT ABOUT IT! SHE SAYS IT LOOKS WEIRD! AND IT DOES!"

"LET ME SEE IT!"

Ron got up and went out of the room to give the ring to Harry. Hermione was too in shock by the sudden outburst to follow him and by the time she had gotten herself back together, Ron had re-entered the room. "He said we can ask the Order about it when we go to Hogwarts t' see if we can find a Horcrux there."

"…okay…sounds…good…"

"You worry too much," Ron leaned back in to kiss her.

"…We really should be packing…"

"See my point?" Ron asked, and promptly continued to kiss her.

When they Apparated to Hogsmeade, all three of them were nervous. It was the New Year, and they had no idea what the reopened Hogwarts looked like. They couldn't imagine a Hogwarts without Dumbledore. But they trudged on nonetheless, until they exited the cold barren Hogsmeade and came up to the locked gates of Hogwarts. The castle stood familiar yet unfamiliar in the early morning, looking strangely imposing, yet reminiscent of what had been their home for the past six years. Harry sent his stag shaped Patronus up to the castle and after a few minutes, they saw a shape approaching, and recognized it's broad form immediately.

"Hagrid!" Ron and Hermione cried, while Harry grinned as Hagrid came to unlatch the gate. As soon as it was open, Hagrid swept them into a bone crushing bear hug.

"I can' b'lieve it's you three again! Now what'd yer thing you were doin', runnin' off like that an' not comin' t' see me?" Hagrid shook them around so they felt horribly dizzy as well as suffocated. "I missed yer so much!"

He let them go, and they all stumbled into each other, gasping.

"We…missed you too, Hagrid," Harry choked out.

"You got our letters, right?" Hermione asked.

"Aye, I did. Very mysterious, too. But I won't press yer just now. Come inside."

"Thanks," Ron said, and they went in after Hagrid.

The halls of Hogwarts, even Dumbledoreless, were warm and comforting. However, as soon as they got to the entrance to the Great Hall, the three of them found themselves standing there awkwardly.

"Well, go'n in! It's breakfast time and I migh' even sit with ya, I want ter know what's bin going on…"

The three looked at each other, then hesitantly, slowly, shoved open the door.

The room fell silent as soon as they entered. Everyone turned to stare at them. Hermione felt her face grow hot and resisted her overpowering urge to shove Harry and Ron in front of her. She followed Harry's lead and marched straight up to the Gryffindor table, with Hagrid yammering after them. Seamus and Dean were in the now mostly empty table and were staring at them with egg falling out of their mouths. They sat down across from the two, and began reaching for food. As soon as they did this, the hall erupted in buzzing,

"So, er. Hi," Ron said.

"Where have you guys BEEN?" Dean asked. "It's been ages."

"Off…doing stuff…" Harry shrugged. "Uh, we kind of dropped out, so…"

"I can't believe YOU dropped out," Seamus pointed his fork sternly at Hermione, who shrugged. "Were you doing saving the world stuff?"

"Yeah…what are you doing here anyway, Seamus? I thought your mother-"

"Ha!" Seamus pointed his fork in the air. "I'm of age now! She can't order me around anymore! HA!" he added again for dramatic effect.

"So, how are you going to do classes, coming in so late?" Dean asked.

Harry shook his head. "We're not doing classes. We're looking for…something."

"Looking for…?"

"Yeah, we-"

"HARRY! RON! HERMIONE!" A voice cried in astonishment.

The trio spun around to see Neville Longbottom running toward them. "You're back! Ginny said you were off doing fighting evil stuff! Wow! I've missed you guys! You're back!"

"Hi Neville!" Hermione got up to hug him and Harry and Ron greeted him.

"You're back!" He babbled again.

"For now," Hermione said. "Did you get our letters?"

"Yes! Thanks, you wrote a lot. Luna'll be glad to see you…and Ginny, she missed you…here they come!"

Indeed, Luna and Ginny had just come through the door, touslehaired and chatting to each other. When they spotted the newly arrived Trio, they ran over. Ginny hugged them all. "You came! I can't believe it."

"I told you we would," Harry said. "Eventually."

"I hope you have successfully eradicated all of the heliopaths," Luna said, her wide eyes boring into them.

"What?"

"I assumed that's what Ginny meant when she said you were fighting the forces of evil."

"Heliopaths don't-" Hermione began then stopped. "Ugh, never mind. Hi Luna."

"Hello," she said cheerily.

"How's Hogwarts doing?" Harry asked Ginny.

"It's depressing around here with the war…a lot fewer people coming. But McGonagall's doing pretty well as a headmistress, and I restarted the DA…"

"That's nice," Harry said formally.

"I think we need to paint the walls fuchsia or something," Luna said randomly. "It always makes me feel better."

"What, fuchsia or painting?

"Walls."

"Okay…"

Hermione looked around and spotted McGonagall heading towards them. "Um, Harry…"

"I don't like fuchsia, actually," Harry was deep in conversation with Luna.

"Harry…"

"What?"

"McGonagall…"

"Oh no," he and Ron said together.

"My father once published a story about the little known background of the color fuchsia…it was very gory."

"I see we have three new guests," Professor McGonagall had now approached the group, and was raising an eyebrow at them.

"Oh, er, hi…Prof- Headmistress…er…Mc...we…you look well!" Ron babbled.

"It's good to see you again, Professor," Hermione chimed in.

"Yes, you as well, Miss Granger. Nice of you to arrive…without any notice whatsoever…"

"Oh, sorry. We…we're looking for something."

"Something?"

"We don't know exactly what…it…is…" Ron said.

"That should make the task considerably difficult."

"Actually, we do know what it is," Harry said swiftly. "Pretty much, anyway."

"And why do you expect to find it here?"

"We deduced as much," Hermione said.

"And what exactly is this something and why must you find it?"

"Professor…Dumbledore…he…before he…told us to find it…" Harry mumbled. "We…can't tell you what it is…we just…really need to find it…if you'd let us…look."

"Please," Hermione said softly.

Professor McGonagall stared at them for a long time. Hermione tried to read her expression, but found she couldn't. Finally she spoke.

"Very well. You may stay in the seventh year dormitories. With the…absenses, there are plenty of extra beds. But please, don't make trouble."

Ginny snorted, then blushed as McGonagall glared at her.

"Thank you, Professor," Hermione said quickly.

Professor McGonagall nodded and walked off.

"What are you guys looking for?" Neville asked, confused.

"We'll tell you later," Harry said, as the bell rang. Their three companions stood there, looking hesitant.

"Er, you guys kind of have to go to class…"

"Oh…right!" They slowly gathered their things.

"Er, see you later…" Neville said.

"Yeah, we can help you look…" Ginny said.

"Yes!" Luna said happily, and the three headed for class. Hermione could hear Luna start to list a number of fantastic things they could be looking for. Hermione and Ron looked at Harry.

"So…" Ron said. "Where should we start?"

"Oh, I have a pretty good idea…" Harry began…

"Well, gotta go thwart the forces of evil and watch TV and stuff- Spoiler


	22. Secrets

Chapter 22

Secrets

"Harry, I don't think this is working," Ginny sighed.

"But…what if it's in here?" Harry scratched his head, looking downtrodden.

"We've been looking in here for weeks," Ron said. "There's just way too much stuff."

"Which is why it's the perfect place," Neville reminded them.

"Professor Trelawney says-"

"I don't care if Professor Trelawney doesn't 'sense' it in here!" Harry rounded on Luna.

"There's no need to snap. It's not like I just go by her, you know. I know she's a bit dotty. But there's also the ogle-"

"Yes, we know about the oglethrops," Ginny sighed, leaning back and looking tired.

Hermione rubbed her head, and looked dejectedly across the Room of Requirement, and the stacks and stacks of lost things. "Wherever the Horcrux is, we need a new game plan to find it."

"Yeah, we'll never get anything done at this rate," Ron said.

"I know," Harry sighed. "Just, I figured with all this lost stuff in here, this would be the perfect place…I mean at least SOMEWHERE in the Room of Requirement!"

"But when we asked for a Horcrux…"

"Yeah, I know…"

"Or even for a cup…we asked for everything," Neville reminisced.

"Maybe we should all just go to bed," Luna suggested.

"That's probably a good idea. Thanks for your help, guys," Harry told Neville, Ginny and Luna. "You didn't have to-"

"We know we didn't have to," Ginny rolled her eyes.

They filed out of the room, yawning and stretching, after another nights hard work sifting through everything from champaigne bottles to ancient jewels (all of which Ron collected with a "finders keepers") and still hadn't found Hufflepuff's cup, or anything Horcrux-ish. Or maybe they had, and had not even noticed. At any rate, their search was starting to seem fruitless, and the six of them were tired and dejected. Luna headed off for Ravenclaw, and Neville remembered he had forgotten something in the library, so it was just the three of them and Ginny, who was leading the way, who headed down for Gryffindor tower, all deep in thought, especially Harry, when suddenly-

"Ow!" Harry cried out.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione turned anxiously to him. "Is your scar hurting?"

"No…my hand…" and Hermione saw he was rubbing it with a grimace. "Suddenly it just started-"

All four of them jumped as they heard a wailing from inside the walls.

"What the-?" Ron muttered, and pushed open the door nearest to them, the sobbing getting louder and louder. "Oh for-it's just Moaning Myrtle."

"Oh, yeah," Ginny said. "I found a shortcut to the Tower, that goes by the bathroom. Decided to use it tonight."

"Wh-who's disturbing me?" they heard Myrtle sob. "Why can't yoooou just leave me alllooone…"

"What's the matter, Myrtle?" Ginny sighed, leading them in the bathroom.

"I-I told you…oh, it's you," Myrtle quickly stopped crying in order to glare at Harry. "I thought you had left."

"Nice to see you too, Myrtle," Harry rolled his eyes.

"Murderer," Myrtle spat.

"He is not, it was self defense," Ginny snapped.

"Besides, Harry didn't kill Draco, just injured him, if that's what we're talking about," Hermione said.

"And Malfoy turned out to be a Death Eater. Didn't you hear, Myrtle?" Ron finished.

"Yes, but I don't believe it. He was far too sweet," Myrtle sniffed.

"Forget this. Let's get out of here," Harry mumbled. He turned and walked toward the door, his hand swinging with him. "OW!" He grabbed his hand again. "What's the matter with this thing?"

"Hmmm…" Hermione leaned toward the sink and saw the serpent engraved on it. "This is that sink that led to the Chamber of Secrets!"

"Yeah, so?" Harry said.

"Put your hand near it again."

"Er…okay…" Harry reached out and touched the faucet. "ARRRGHHH!" He jumped back, clutching his hand once more.

"That's weird," Ron said. "It's almost as if your hand hates the Chamber of Secrets or something. Not that I'd blame it, that place was creepy."

"You don't have to tell me, Ron," Ginny snapped.

"Maybe it's not a coincidence," Hermione said excitedly. "Tom Riddle spent a lot of time in the Chamber of Secrets, right? And he was the only one who knew about it. The only person who could get in there was anyone descended for Slytherin. There was a giant basilisk inside to guard it…it was a place Voldemort…um, liked. Wouldn't it be a perfect place to hide a Horcrux?"

"Well, yeah, now that I think of it…what does this have to do with Harry's hand?" Ron asked.

"Maybe when that gauntlet Horcrux infected Harry's arm, it gave it the…power to sense Horcruxes!"

"That's the craziest thing I've ever heard," Ron said.

"No, it isn't," Hermione replied dismissively.

"Well, it's definitely in the top…thirty."

"But it makes sense!" Harry said. "We should check this out."

"What's a Horcrux?" Myrtle asked.

Hermione ignored her. "Open the Chamber, Harry!"

Harry closed his eyes and then opened them and let out a long hiss. And without further ado, the tap glowed an awesome white and the sink sank out of sight, leaving a pipe sizable enough that any of them would be able to fit into it, with room to spare.

"Still works, I see," Harry said.

"You would have never found that if it hadn't been for me," Myrtle said smugly.

"Yeah, thanks bunches, Myrtle," Harry said, crouching down and looking down the drop. "Well, let's go."

"It's filthy down there," Hermione said, wrinkling her nose at the slime.

"Yeah, I know. Took me days to stop smelling like gunk after I went in there," Ron said reminiscently.

"Are you afraid of getting dirty, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"No…I was just commenting," Hermione said defensively.

"Well, come on then," Harry said and slid down.

"This was not an experience I ever wanted to I_repeat_/I," Ron sighed but he slid down after. Hermione and Ginny were left alone. Hermione looked at her friends and saw she was biting her lip. Hermione put a hand on her shoulder.

"Memories?"

"Yeah," Ginny said, curling her hands very tightly. "Lots of them."

"You don't have to go if you don't want to," Hermione said.

"No. I can handle it. Besides, in all the excitement, Harry's forgotten to be all, erm…him. I need to prove-" She trailed off.

"It's okay, Ginny."

"Uh huh. W-will you go first?"

"Sure," Hermione said, knowing with full confidence Ginny would follow her. She slid down the tunnel, grimacing slightly at the feel of slime against her hands. As she slid in the darkness, hands coasting at the turns, she heard Ginny bumping behind her, and Ron faintly ahead of her. After going deeper and deeper into the school, the pipe finally leveled out and Hermione thudded on the ground, then scrambled out of the way to let Ginny in after her. Harry had already lit up his wand, and gestured for them to do the same, and they followed him down the tunnel. They traveled the dark tunnel for a while, until eventually their feet started crunching on animal bones. Ginny was breathing very heavily beside her. She squeezed her hand. Harry and Ron didn't seem to notice, they looked oddly thoughtful, and Hermione knew they had to be remembering the last time they were here. Soon after, they reached a solid wall of rock, with a hole in the middle of it just big enough to fit through.

"Yup, I did that," Ron said. "With my bare hands, too."

"I'm proud of you, Ron," Hermione said wedging herself through the rock, then letting out a high pitched scream as she came face to face with a huge snakeskin.

"And that's what happens to the sarcastic," Ron said triumphantly, holing in after her.

"Ugh," Ginny shuttered.

"Bigger than I remember," Harry said casually, shrugging. He slipped up the coils of the snake, and gestured at them to follow him.

After another long walk, and silence which would be broken occasionally by Ron making comments like "I never got to this part. It's very dark," and "This must have been scary, Harry,"; they reached a entrance on which was carved entwined serpents with glinting jeweled eyes. Harry didn't hesitate, and hissed immediately, and the wall cracked open. Harry walked through, looking slightly unnerved and the rest followed.

The chamber they walked into was long and filled with greenish gloom, but Hermione could automatically make out a huge dark shape, and as they approached closer, she couldn't help but gasp.

"Bloody hell," Ron muttered.

The huge dead basilisk curved around on the floor, it's bottom half already decomposed into skeleton, but it's top half intact enough for Hermione to see the huge gash that traveled from the bottom of it's mouth to the top of it's head, and how it's eyes were gouged out. There was long dried blood all over the floor, particularly in one corner. Ginny was now squeezing Hermione's hand so hard now, she was afraid it might break, and looked terribly pale.

Harry, however, merely glanced around, before he walked up to the foot of a humongous statue of a giant monkeyish bearded man, who Hermione recognized from her reading as Slytherin. When they reached him, they saw he was clutching his hand and his face was twisted in pain.

"My hand hurts more the nearer I get to the statue," he said sharply. "And I remember seeing the basilisk coming from Slytherin's mouth last time I was here. If a Horcrux is in this chamber, it's in that statue. We need to get up to the mouth."

Hermione nodded, and with a few muttered words, wrenched a large chunk of rock from the ground. She gestured at the others to step on it, then stepped on it herself, and levitated the rock all the way up to Slytherin's huge stone mouth. It was easily big enough for them to get through, and when they got in, they slid down a tunnel similar to the way they had slid down the pipe into the chamber. As soon as they thudded at the bottom, light exploded around them, throwing the room they were in into focus, and they all gasped.

"Well," Ron said. "We're definitely in the right place."

"A life of reaction is a life of slavery, intellectually and spiritually. One must fight for a life of action, not reaction"

-Rita Mae Brown


	23. Trap

Chapter 22

Trap

"Why do you say that, Ron?" Ginny asked. "It just looks like an empty room to me."

"Look down," Ron whispered.

Hermione was already looking down in horror. The room appeared to be filling with blood and was already pooling over her sneakers.

"Well, this is pretty morbid," Ginny commented. "Think he made it when he was going through puberty?"

"I just realized Ginny's here!" Harry said in horror.

"You're getting slow in your old age, Harry…" Ron said, wrinkling his nose as the blood began to soak the bottom of his jeans.

"Would you three PLEASE STOP TALKING ABOUT STUPID THINGS so we can figure a way OUT of here?" Hermione cried.

"Something tells me blasting our way out isn't going to work," Ron said nervously.

"I'll try anyway," Harry grunted, brandishing his wand. "Reducto!" Nothing happened.

"Huh? My spell isn't even working!"

"Oh no…" Hermione took out her wand. "Incendio! Oppugno! Levitcus!" None of her spells produced any effect whatsoever.

"Okay, I don't think we're getting out of here with spells," Ginny said, attempting to scramble up the wall.

"Then how are we getting out?" Ron cried.

"We have to figure out a different way," Hermione said, trying to keep calm. "Think of something…"

"Hmmmm….hmmmm…hmmmm…"

"Who's humming?" Harry snapped.

"Not me," Ron said

"Me neither," Ginny commented.

"Whoever it is, stop it!" Hermione cried, sloshing through the blood, which was now up to her knees. "I'm trying to think!"

She ran her fingers against the wall, muttering to herself. "Has to be a way out…has to…aha!" She found a crack in the woodwork.

"Yay, a crack," Ginny muttered.

"Through which light is shining! Concentrated light!" Hermione exclaimed.

"And that means…?" Harry asked, standing on his tiptoes in a vain attempt to keep the blood from going over his waist.

"Harry, give me your glasses!"

"Wait…what?"

"Just give them to me!"

Harry shrugged, took off his glasses and handed them to Hermione. She reached into her bag, rummaged through it and pulled out several sheets of paper.

"Hermione, what are you-?"

"Shhh!" Hermione hissed, as she angled the glasses against the crack of light and held the paper against the edge of the lenses. "Come on…come on…YES!"

The light reflected off Harry's glasses flared into fire against the paper, which quickly began to burn. Hermione held the fire against the wall and gestured at her friends. "Get more pieces of paper from my bag! Hurry!" She hissed. Ron, Harry and Ginny quickly began yanking paper from her bag and contributed more pieces of paper to the flame.

"You're going to burn the wall open?" Harry said.

"Yes!" Hermione gasped. "Keep going!"

"Uhn…we don't have much time…" Ginny said, as the blood raised to her chest.

"Just don't drop any fire in the blood!" Hermione hissed. "I think it's working!"

The wall had indeed begun to crackle and cave under the fire, and as the blood started to coagulate near enough to wash out their fire. Harry slammed his shoulder against the wall, with a cry of pain as the fire burned his flesh. Hermione, Ron and Ginny quickly joined in, until finally, the wall burst open, dumping the three on the floor of the next room, a cascade of scarlet fluid rushing after them.

No sooner did they have time to take a breath, than Ginny looked up and gasped.

"In this book, there is no happy ending, no happy beginning, and very few happy things happen in the middle,"- The Bad Beginning, A Series of Unfourtunate Events, By Lemony Snicket.


	24. Mist

Chapter 23

Mist

"I just saw something move! It looked big!" Ginny jumped up, looking frantic.

"I didn't see anything," Hermione wearily rubbed the second-degree burns on her hands.

"I did," Harry got up, wincing. "We'd better get out of here. He scrambled around, picking up objects that had fallen out of his pockets onto the floor. "Dagger, check. Beozeor, check. Thing I don't know what it is, check. Okay, let's go."

"I doubt it'll be that easy," Ron grumbled pointing to the exit. "Look."

The doorway was clouded with enchanted silver mist.

"Great," Harry said nervously. "Who know what that does to you?"

The three of them heard a loud growl and spun around. Hermione let out a small scream. But there was nothing there. She thought she heard something giggle.

"I saw something!" Ron cried. "There's definitely a creature in here."

"One we don't want to meet, I'm sure," Harry said.

"I guess we have to go through the mist then," Ginny said.

"No, let's not be rash," Hermione warned. Another noise, and they jumped. Hermione saw a VERY huge dark form dart into a corner of the vast room. She thought she recognized something about it and her stomach clenched in fear. "Okay, let's be rash."

"Fine by me," Ginny said, and she rushed into the mist.

"GINNY!" Harry, Ron and Hermione screamed as she jumped through the fog and then fell like a dead weight to the floor, the magical barrier dissipating behind her. The Trio then heard a loud roar behind them, and without looking back, rushed through the now clear path towards Ginny. Ron, who was behind Hermione, gave a scream of pain, and Hermione knew the creature had bitten him, and blindly grabbed for him behind her, tugging him with her as she tumbled to the floor. Just behind them, a wall crashed down suddenly and something smashed against it mightily.

"GINNY!" Harry gasped, running to the prone redhead.

"Harry, Ron's in trouble too!" Hermione's voice reached a pitch she thought impossible.

Ron had fallen to the ground, gasping like mad as black poison spread from a wound on is leg.

Harry swore. "What's wrong with him?"

"That thing that almost got us was a Manticore. Ron got stung," Hermione held him close to her. "If we don't do something quickly, he's going to die!"

"Wait…wait…" Harry began to say something, but suddenly Ginny jerked to life in his arms. "GINNY!"

"HARRY, WATCH OUT!" Hermione screamed, seeing how unfocused Ginny's eyes looked just before she screamed "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Harry lunged out of the way of the Killing Curse, and it just missed him. "What the-"

"That mist was some odd form of the Imperious Curse!" Hermione cried. "And…it's eating away at her! Look!"

Indeed, Ginny's skin appeared to be turning pale and sick looking, tautening around her bones, like she was quickly wasting away. She wasn't in as immediate danger as Ron though. Harry tried to take the wand away from her, but she appeared to be as immovable as stone and he was forced to dodge another deadly spell. "Hermione! How do you cure the poison?"

"The potion takes ages to make, Harry, and I don't have the ingredients!" Hermione screamed, shaking Ron desperately as his eyes began to roll up in his head. "A beozeor would work, if we had one, but-!"

"I have a beozeor!" Harry gasped. "Get it out of my pocket."

"You…WHAT?"

"I found it in the Room of Requirement! GET IT!"

Hermione dashed over, and grabbed the curdled stone from Harry's pocket, curses barely missing her. She then dashed back to Ron, and stuffed it in his mouth.

"Eh, De ja vu," Harry managed to say, as he tried desperately to restrain Ginny. Ron coughed and sputtered, then his eyes snapped open and he looked around blearily. "Is he okay?"

Hermione nodded. "He's going to need some time in the Hospital Wing though…again. But he's fine."

"Good, then HELP ME!"

"Sorry, Ron, I have to go!" Hermione sprinted up from the semi conscious Ron, to Harry, and she tried to wrest Ginny's wand away, with him. Ginny pushed her back with unnatural strength, she smashed into a stone wall so her head exploded with pain, and slumped down it, trying desperately to stay conscious.

"Hermione!"

She could see nothing but dark and pain, hear Harry's distant tinny voice. First in coherent screaming and noise…she could not make out, all she could hear was Harry needing help…then…"Ginny…this is not you! Fight it! C'mon…Voldemort…doesn't like…er…love! MMMPH!"

"Er…" Hermione summoned light and images to swim before her. "…Harry…"

"Er….it worked…" she heard his voice ring.

"Wha…"

"I, uh…kissed her…and it appeared to…er…OW!"

"Harry?"

"She slapped me. She's okay now."

"N…no I'm not…my skin…"

"It's okay…Hermione…wake up, we need you!"

"Heal her, you idiot!"

"Right…"

Hermione felt the pain lift and she could see clearly again. Ginny was herself again, but she was collapsed on the floor, looking like a famine victim. Harry was beside her with his face heavily scratched. He put his wand to Ginny's head. "Finite Incantatum!"

Ginny stopped losing mass, though she remained in the same malnourished looking state.

"It worked. Again." Harry rubbed his face wearily.

"Simple things," Hermione reminded him, forcing herself to get up and sit next to Ginny. "Don't worry, Ginny, we'll get Madam Pomfrey to fix you and Ron up…ugh…what did you do to me…I feel horrible."

"I knew you shouldn't have come…I knew it…" Harry shook his head, looking frantic.

"Shu…t…up…Harry," Ginny said through gritted teeth.

"Oooooohhhhh…" someone moaned.

"Who was that?" Harry snapped.

Hermione looked over at Ron, who was still lying there with no idea where he was. "It wasn't Ron…whoever it was, I'm willing to bet it was the same person who's been giggling…and humming…in fact…I think it sounds…awfully…familiar…"

"Oooohhhh…"

Something suddenly appeared before them.

"Good God," Harry said, clutching at his face.

"Robin: War. Hmmph. Good God.

Wonder Girl: What is it good for?

Impulse: Absolutely nothin'

Secret: Say it again.

Superboy: That's a cool song.

Secret: There's a song?"

-Young Justice.


	25. Ghost

Chapter 24

Ghost

The transparent figure of a glum young girl bobbed in front of them.

"Moaning Myrtle?" Hermione said in a horrified sort of way. "What are you doing here-"

"I wanted to see what you were doing. You could act more pleased to see me."

"Why would we-" Hermione began, then shut her mouth, remembering how easily upset Myrtle was. She couldn't deal with the ghost's tears right now. "Well, this is what we're doing."

"It looks like you're in trouble," Myrtle noted unsympathetically.

"Yeah, kind of," Harry said. "Hermione, let's get the hell to the next obstacle. You carry Ginny."

Hermione carefully scooped up the now very light girl, ignoring her cries of "I can walk!" as Harry hauled up a semi-conscious Ron.

They carefully made their way out of the room, Myrtle floating uselessly behind them. "Have you been stalking us this whole time?"

Myrtle crossed her transparent arms. "I haven't been stalking you! There's no need to be so-"

"Have you?"

"…Yes."

"Brilliant," Harry muttered. "Well-

"Look!" Hermione interrupted him, adjusting Ginny in her arms. Before them on a high pedestal was a glittering golden cup with a badger on it.

Harry's eyes widened. "That's the cup of Hufflepuff! I saw it when Dumbledore took me inside his memories, remember? We've reached the Horcrux!"

"But I doubt we'll be able to just go up and take it," Hermione reminded him, kneeling to the ground to deposit a very sulky Ginny there.

"Well, yeah, but we're almost there," Harry said, letting Ron sit down too, as Myrtle bobbed above him.

"Just don't do anything stupid this time," Hermione said primly, crossing her arms. Ginny snorted. "Ginny, you'll be all right here, right?"

"Yeah."

"Ron's okay too?" Hermione knelt down with Harry beside him.

"He seems to be. If you're right, and apparently that's a given, he and Ginny will just need to be in the hospital wing. The sooner we get the Horcrux, the sooner we get help." Harry stood up and pulled out his wand. "We'd better be on our guard."

Hermione nodded and raised hers up. They creeped stealthily toward the Horcrux, jabbing their wands in the air like jousts. About five feet away from the Horcrux, Hermione's wand bent as it met something solid. All she could see was air, but as she pushed her hand forward, met a sort of force field, which she could not, try as she might get through.

"Great," Harry said. "Any idea what spell this is?"

"I haven't a clue," Hermione shook her head. "It's certainly not a simple, or even advanced shield spell. It has to be broken down by something other than magic, but I have no idea what."

"Blood, maybe?" Harry held out his wrist and raised his wand. Hermione grabbed it.

"You did it last time, I'll do it."

"It's FINE, Hermione. It's just a cut."

"Exactly. So I'll do it this time."

"Stop making such a big deal about this!"

"I'm not, you are. I said I'd do it, just let me!"

"I said I'd do it first!"

"Do you honestly think I can't handle a little pain, Harry?"

"We're wasting time!"

"Yes we are, so-

"Is that cup what you two want?" Myrtle said behind them, sounding gloomy, but vaguely interested.

Harry sighed. "YES, Myrtle."

"Why don't you go get it?"

"BECAUSE Myrtle, there's a-HEY!" Harry screamed as Myrtle floated through him and the force field. Suddenly the earth ripped a part and several pillars toppled, raising dust everywhere. Hermione raised her hands and backed away in shock. When the dust settled however, she saw Myrtle floating near the cup and walked a few steps forward, only to find the invisible barrier was gone.

"Whoa," Harry said as he sidled up beside Hermione. "What just happened?"

Hermione kneeled down excitedly, looking at the rubble and dust around her. "I think I know what just happened! Voldemort used a very rare spell-the only way to get through this forcefeild was a human sacrifice!"

"A…human sacrifice?"

"You had to kill somebody. Their spirit leaving their body would trigger the barriers downfall. Voldemort thought that more than one person wouldn't make it this far, so the barrier would be impossible to break down, unless you wanted to kill yourself, in which case, you wouldn't get the Horcrux scenario. Or say more than one person did get through- you would have to be truly callous to sacrifice a friend. That's something to count on. BUT, when Myrtle went through the barrier, it had the same reaction that it would if someone was sacrificed, because she's dead."

"Wow. Myrtle-" Harry turned around to face the ghost, who was sobbing. "Uh, why is she crying?"

"Oh. Probably because I mentioned she's dead," Hermione bit her lip. Myrtle gave a howl of sadness.

"But Myrtle, we're glad you're dead, otherwise-

"GLAD I'm dead? Oh course you are, everybody is!" Myrtle sobbed harder.

"Oh, er that came out wrong…what I meant was…" Harry muttered as the ghosts sobbing increased. "Er…forget it. Thanks Myrtle."

Hermione put a hand over her mouth to hide her smile as she and Harry went and carefully pried the cup from its stand.

-Because I could not stop for Death

He kindly stopped for me

The carriage held but just ourselves

And Immortality.

-The Chariot, By Emily Dickinson


	26. Invasion

Chapter 25

Invasion

"And Harry summoned a broom and we flew out," Hermione finished. She adjusted the code papers she had bought to the hospital wing to work on in her lap.

"I say next time we see Voldemort you tell him that Moaning Myrtle was his ultimate defeat. It should distract him long enough for you to kill him." Ron said, turning the cup over in his hands as he sat up in his bed.

"I'll keep it in mind."

"So this thing has V-V-Volde…his soul in it?" Neville said, taking the cup from Ron. "Really?"

Hermione nodded. "We told you."

"Yes, but…I'm not sure I believed you…Luna, you hold it!" Neville shoved the cup at Luna, who took it happily.

"I heard Hufflepuff was actually part mermaid. Do you think He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named knew that?"

"Most likely not," Ginny wrapped her hands around her knees, the white sheets of her hospital bed wrapping around her form, which was slowly fleshing out due to copious potion taking. "So…you've managed to ensure three bits of Voldemort's soul are destroyed in a year. That means there's only one left right?"

Harry nodded. "Nagini. Voldemort's snake. At least that's what Dumbledore thinks…thought." Harry took the cup from Luna, who said, "I imagine getting to Voldemort's snake will be quite challenging."

"Understatement of the century," Ron snorted. "How are we going to manage that?"

"We'll figure it out." Ginny said consolingly.

"We?" Harry's head snapped up.

"You're going to need all the help you can get," Luna noted.

"Yeah…but look, I know you guys think I'm constantly protecting everyone too much and not letting you come with me…but…you haven't ever _seen_ him. You can't possibly understand…I just…" Harry paused, not making eye contact, but seeming to sense they were listening. "This is my…responsibility…or destiny…or whatever it is. I…don't think it's fair…so many have already died and had their lives destroyed…it has to stop. I can do it alone. Really."

"Harry-" Ginny began but Neville, who had been sitting there silently, staring at the Horcrux in Harry's hands, interrupted her.

"No, you can't," he said forcefully. "In the end, Harry, only one thing matters. Stopping I_him./I _If you want to stop the dying, you have to stop him, and you know that. It's all about him. You're not the only person who's life he messed up. It's his fault my parent's minds are dead. He's already destroyed my family. So, I want to stop him, and I don't care if I die, as long as he does the same. If I want to face him, if I want to do it, it's not your decision. I want to help. I want to be there to make sure he never destroys anything again. If the six of us getting it stops millions dying, then it's worth it. Luna's right. You need all the help you can get, so it's stupid to refuse us. I'm going with you. For my parents. For everyone. And you can't stop me."

Neville finally fell silent, leaving everyone staring at him.

"Neville-" Hermione said gently.

"I've got to go," Neville said, and he shot up and raced out of the room.

"Wait!" Harry got up too, but Neville was already long gone. He turned back, to find everyone staring at him.

"FINE!" he shouted. "COME WITH ME! SEE IF I CARE!" and he stormed out, leaving Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Luna alone.

"…Well, I'm glad we got that straightened out," Luna said cheerfully.

"Everyone is so _emotional_ lately. It's making me really tense," Ron grumbled. "Can I break the Horcrux?"

"I suppose," Hermione tossed the cup to Ron, who shattered it with his wand in glee.

"Well, I suppose this is good," Ginny lay back. "As soon as I stop looking anorexic and Ron gets better, we can go track down Nagini and kill Voldemort and for better or worse, this will all be over."

"It will make a really good newspaper article," Luna said randomly.

"We should all probably go to bed," Hermione yawned. "I'm tired from all the interrogation from the Order and McGonagall."

"So…stop working on the paper and go to bed," Ron said helpfully after a few minutes.

"I'm working on the code," Hermione said, biting her lip. "I'm so close to finding out who the recipient for it is…just a little…"

"You've been working on this code most of the year, and you're just now finding out who the recipient is?" Ginny asked.

"It's REALLY hard. I've deciphered a couple other sentences but if we find out who this was sent to, we can go find them…if they're still alive."

"Huh, so-"

"Shush! I'm so close!" Hermione snapped. I just have to solve this equation…."

Ron, Ginny and Luna all fell silent.

_So if E is for Expelliarmus, that would mean e8, which means I have to revise the equation by 3, which would make it spell…_

"Oh my God," Hermione gasped, when she deciphered the name.

"What?" Ron cried, clearly happy to be able to talk again.

"The person this was sent to…it's…it's…"

Suddenly Madam Pomfrey burst into the room. "You need to get out of here! Death Eaters!"

**-Starfire**: _about Slade's invading army of robots_ They are too numerous to fight. What shall we do?  
**Robin**: Fight anyway.


	27. Normal

Chapter 27

Normal

Privet Drive was supposed to be a normal place. It was supposed to be the epitome of normalcy with nothing to break the mold…the perfect example of suburbia.

Unfortunately, that wasn't working out too well.

And ironically enough, it was because of a family so painstakingly normal and closed minded that it was simply ridiculous.

Because of this family, or more exactly, because of this family's nephew, Privet Drive had been visited by a man with a outlandishly long beard obsessed with lemon strops and with a device that controlled street lamps, a shape shifting woman who was not to be trifled with, a half giant with a heart of gold, a truckload of flying magical letters, a insane amount of owls, a hyperactive house-elf, a flying car, a red headed family who popped through chimneys (headed by a wizard with an unhealthy obsession with batteries), two soul sucking Dementors, a paranoid ex-Auror and other misfits, the smartest witch in her magical school's year and a pureblood wizard who insisted he was an idiot, then proceeded to kick every living person's tail at chess. Most importantly, Privet Drive had been home to the only hope the world had of stopping an insanely powerful megalomaniac bent on killing them all, who happened to be a rather unremarkable looking visually impaired boy who was skinny as a toothpick.

In other words, the Dursleys had inadvertently sucked every bit of normalcy out of Privet Drive.

It was about to get worse.

Since Harry Potter had left Privet Drive, it had finally returned to it's completely normal state, while the rest of the world was falling apart. The Dursley's tried to pretend he'd never existed, which was of course fairly easy for them since they'd been able to do a pretty good job of that even when he was actually present. The neighbors were relieved to have that scrappy looking juvenile delinquent gone. He had stuck out in everyway, for some reason always looking miserable, which was against the Privet Drive rule of constantly feigning happiness. The oh-so-normal children continued to get beaten up by Dudley Dursley, and sometimes caught themselves wondering why Dudley Dursley wasn't the juvenile delinquent of the family, as he made their lives hell, and that skinny kid had never bothered them at all, or as far as they could tell, done anything bad, besides being really weird and depressed. But these thoughts were rare and quickly wiped out, because, even if Potter hadn't appeared to do anything bad, being weird was a crime in itself. After all, at least beating the life out of people was NORMAL male behavior.

But the brief spell of normalcy Privet Drive had enjoyed was about to be wiped out, as that Potter freak had come back to make trouble, despite the fact he had wished never to see this place again. Once again, Privet Drive had a new thing to add to it's list of Potter-induced oddities, as six teenagers Apparated cleanly onto Magnolia Crescent.

The six stood there for a minute in silence until Harry broke it.

"I REALLY don't want to be here."

"I know," Hermione said.

"This doesn't make any sense. My aunt Petunia hates magic. And my mother. Why the hell would she have sent her secret plans?"

"That's what we're going to find out," Hermione said.

Harry sighed and turned to Neville and Ginny and Luna. "Just to warn you three, the Dursley's are not nice people."

Neville shrugged. "Can't be much worse than Gran."

"Yes, they are," Harry, Hermione and Ron said together.

"You don't KNOW that," Neville said, stung. "Gran can be pretty-

"They made him sleep in the cupboard for the first ten years of his life," Ron said.

"Oh…well…that is bad. Sorry, Harry."

Harry narrowed his eyes at Ron. "I got a bedroom when I turned eleven. Now come on, and just don't take the fact they hate all of you personally."

"It's odd, people who save the world tend to have traumatic childhoods," Luna said vaguely. "And so do most Reptilian Face Suckers."

"Think listening to her for two minutes will make your Uncle Vernon's brain explode?" Ron said.

"Most definitely. I will enjoy watching it," Harry said, reaching the Dursley's front path.

"It's sounds rather disgusting to me," Luna said.

Harry reached the front door. "Brace yourself. They're not going to be happy to see me." He knocked.

"Who the HELL is knocking at this hour?" they heard Vernon roar.

"He always says that when people arrive past nine," Harry said conversationally.

The door flew open, and Vernon gaped at them.

"Hi," Harry said. "Er, we just need to…ask you something."

"I thought I told you NEVER TO COME BACK!" Vernon thundered, after taking a second of recovery.

"Yeah, believe me, I had no desire to return," Harry snapped, slipping into defiant mode. "But we need to discuss something with you. It'll only be a minute."

"I am NOT letting you into my house," the large man said through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, not really giving you a choice," said Ginny, pushing up front and pulling out her wand. "You let us in, or a demonstrate exactly how much damage flying bogies can do to your face."

"It's really quite gruesome," Luna said cheerfully. "I wouldn't recommend it."

"And I can demonstrate exactly how many hexes I have mastered," Hermione said, pulling out her wand as well.

"That's a lot," Ron nodded.

"Yeah, remember that time Dudley got that pigs tail? Well, Hagrid kind of didn't finish his third year at Hogwarts. We've finished six…or five and a half…so we could easily turn you fully into a pig," Harry snapped.

They all looked at Neville.

"I can't really think up a good threat, sorry," he shrugged.

"All right, come in," Vernon said grudgingly. They marched in, Luna coming in last. Uncle Vernon stared at her. "What the hell is wrong with your ears?"

"You mean my pickle earrings?" Luna replied.

"Luna likes vegetables," Ginny nodded.

"Freaks," Vernon slammed the door. "Freaks the lot of you…now get whatever you want to tell me over with before Petunia-

"What is going on, Vernon?" Petunia came walking into the room. She stopped dead when she saw Harry "What are you doing here? I-I was sure you'd be dead by now."

"Sorry to disappoint," Harry shrugged. "Actually, it's you we wanted to talk to."

"Why would you want to talk with her?" Vernon snarled.

Hermione decided to get to the point. "We found…these letters to Harry's mum in the, er, remains of …their house. They were…secret codes…from someone reporting the goings on of Muggles in the…war…when Voldemort was still alive. Important information. It…had Petunia's name on it."

She dropped the sheaf of paper on the table. The Dursley's stared at it for a full minute.

"Preposterous," Vernon finally snorted. "Petunia hates her sister…she would never get mixed up in-

Petunia picked up the sheaf with trembling hands. "I-I always wanted to tell you…" she said in small voice to her husband.

"What?" the beefy man said sharply.

"I…had to do it…when I found out what was going on…this…V-Voldemort man…he was…going to wipe out everyone normal…populate the world of freaks…it threatened everything we were, Vernon! Dudley…everything would have been destroyed. I had to work inside, I was the connection to this part of the…normal world. L-Lily lied too…pretended like I was sending her hate mail. Because that mad man…Dubble Dorn or whatever…said no one could know except James…there was a spy or something…I…didn't want to get involved with the freaks…but it was the only way to save us!"

Silence encapsulated the room. Hermione noted the similarities of the expressions on Harry and his uncle's face. Complete shock and disbelief, both staring at Petunia as if they'd never seen her before.

"You…you…" Harry said. "But that's…you hate magic! You hate my mum! You hate I_me!/I_

"Yes," Petunia said unashamedly. "But I love Vernon and Dudley. I love being alive. That's what this was about. Keeping you…abnormal people…from destroying my life. That's why I convinced Vernon to take you in. I was well informed about that inane prophecy or whatever."

"What…what…what…" Harry looked like he was going to go into shock. "Prophecy…you knew…?"

"What Prophecy?" said Vernon, Neville and Luna together, though Vernon's was very garbled.

"I knew if that brute came back…Lily convinced me he was very capable of doing something like that…that you were the only thing that would stop him. I found it hard to believe, honestly. You were always so…ugh. We do treat you roughly, I would do that anyway, as I really do not like you, but I was fairly sure that you needed to get used to being kicked around, learn how to fight back. You built up a resistance to pain and all that. You never really took it lying down, which was good, though your sarcasm and such annoy me to no end. And from what I hear, when people attack you in that death trap of a school, you take it quite well, so it did work."

More silence.

"That…has to be the sickest thing I have ever heard in my life…" Ginny said angrily. "And I had to listen to Tom Riddle yammer on!"

"I have no idea who that is," Petunia shrugged.

Ginny lunged herself at the skinny woman, but Neville and Ron grabbed hold of her.

"I…I…I…" Vernon stammered.

Harry sank down in a chair. "My life no longer makes anything resembling sense anymore."

"Vernon, dear, please. It was for us," Petunia said soothingly, rubbing her husbands neck as he continued to babble.

"Harry, take deep breaths," Hermione knelt down beside him. "This isn't really that unbelievable, compared to all those time good people turned out to be evil, Voldemort popped up everywhere and random people attacked us, right?"

"No, that stuff's the usual," Harry shook his head. "This is completely freaky."

On that note, an explosion shattered through the ceiling.

"I think the reward for conformity is everyone likes you but yourself"-Rita Mae Brown


	28. Trying

Chapter 28

Trying

"What the-?" Petunia began, but Harry jumped up without hesitation as soon as the noise sounded. "An attack!"

Hermione looked up and indeed saw the shadowy form of individuals holding wands through the humongous hole in the ceiling. No doubt who they wanted.

"We have to…" Harry began but Hermione quickly grabbed him and shoved him in the hall closet as the Death Eaters jumped down, pointing a wand at Vernon and Petunia's head. There was nowhere to run.

"Are you the family of Harry Potter?" the one in front said.

"Uh…uh…uh…" Vernon stammered, while Petunia looked surprised. "Well, techinically…ah…not…directly…related…through blood…for…ah…me…"

"Where is Harry Potter?" the Death Eater snarled. "We've spent the year locating the filthy Muggles he's supposed to stay with."

"He left on some damned mission of justice," Petunia said in a high pitched voice. "We don't know where he is and couldn't care less."

"Get the Veritaserum," the wand holder growled. The Death Eater beside him turned to dig into his robes pockets, but stopped when he saw Ron and Ginny standing there in shock.

"Weasleys," the man said softly in surprise and suddenly his voice seemed jarringly familiar.

"What's that?" his fellow said.

"I said-

Hermione stepped aside quickly to allow Harry to burst out of the closet. "EXPELLIARMUS!"

All the Death Eaters wands went flying up with them giving crimes of alarm.

"You guys get my aunt and uncle out of here, I'll get Dudley!" Harry shouted as Luna and Neville used the opportunity to shoot curses at their opponents.

"I'll go with you!" Hermione, who was closest to him cried and raced after him

They met Dudley standing outside his room looking groggy. "Wha's going on…?" He gaped at Harry. "What're you doing here?"

Harry and Hermione grabbed him and began to haul him down the hall.

"This town will never be the same again," Harry muttered.

"Hey!" Dudley began but Harry interrupted "Shut up or I'll curse you!" and that was the end of that.

"Hermione, get the cloak out of my bag!" Harry cried. Nodding, Hermione rummaged around in it until she extracted the silvery fabric and threw it around them.

"I-you-what the hell…!" Dudley cried.

"The house is being attacked by evil Wizards," Harry hissed. "You need to be quiet!"

"Stop telling me what to do! I'm-

"Silencio!" Hermione cried, seeing Death Eaters approaching. They ran past, while the two of them restrained the struggling Dudley.

"Good call," Harry said gratefully. "Come on, we have to get everyone together so we can Apparate out of here."

The two of them plus their unfourtunate hostage skirted down the hall, sidestepping Death Eaters along the way. When they finally got down to the kitchen, Ginny, Ron, Neville and Luna were gone. They could hear cries of panic and shouted curses outside. They turned to follow when the furious Dudley smacked them both in the back of the head. The both tumbled sown, tangled in the Invisibility Cloak and twisted around to see Dudley mouth angrily at them.

"Don't hit my friend! We already told you, we're being attacked you idiot! If you keep this up, we are going to DIE. D-I-E. This isn't the time to be a moronic bully!" Harry hissed under his breath, pulling himself up by Dudley's shirt and jamming a wand in his face.

"Ow," Hermione rubbed her head.

Dudley gestured at his mouth with great agitation.

"Okay, we'll unsilence you, but make a sound and we turn you into a slug!" Harry snapped. Dudley nodded mutely.

"Finite Incantatem!" Harry said, just as Hermione noticed two hooded people approaching.

"Harry! Run!" Hermione scrambled up. Harry whipped around and saw the Death Eaters, both now pulling out wands, and they made a break for the door, avoiding curses (accompanied with a cry "It's Harry Potter! Our Lord wants him! The other two are fine!) and dragging Dudley along.

They slid out the stoop, and crashed into Ron, who had been standing over a Stunned adversary.

"Where are the Dursleys?" Harry breathed.

"Neville has them," Ron said. "He's over there, fighting that bloated chap. Ginny and Luna are thataway. We need to go!"

"Tell us something we don't know," Hermione said, as Harry deflected a curse. Their Death Eater friends from the kitchen had caught up with them.

"Ron, out of the way!" Hermione shoved him out of the line of fire as two others closed in. "Oh God, oh God…"

"Apparate, Apparate!" Harry cried. He and Hermione grabbed Dudley by either arm and Hermione grabbed Ron's hand, closing her eyes and thinking _Anywhere but here, Anywhere but here! Destination, Determination, Deliberation… _

They were automatically sucked into the heinously constricted vaccumn of instantaneous travel. Hermione could hear Dudley screaming, and the force pulling him way. Desperately she managed to hang on to him and-

They popped up in an alleyway two blocks down. Hermione stumbled against a trash can as Dudley keeled over and vomited all over the place. "Aaah…ehhh.." he squeaked, hyperventilating.

"This is the alleyway where that Dementor attacked me," Harry, who she had just realized was beside her, muttered, mopping his hair off his forehead.

"D-d-demeder…cold…" Dudley's face was flushed and covered with sweat, "…saw…bad…stuff…Mom…upset…baby…broke things…letter from…with Potter…"

"…and he's lost it," Harry sighed, kneeling down beside his cousin. "What are we going to do?"

"Gotta summon the others," said Ron, who was slumped against the wall.

"How?" Hermione said.

"What was that thing you said Tonks did that time last year you were late for school? She…sent a Patronus…? Maybe we can do that…"

"Yeah…yeah!" cried Harry, who had been kicking Dudley in a vague attempt to stop him whimpering. "_Expecto Patronum!_

A silver stag bloomed from Harry's wand and cantered away into the night. Dudley moaned.

"Good idea, Ron," Hermione squeezed her beloved's shoulder and he smiled at her palely. Perhaps five minutes later, the stag came cantering back, followed by Luna, Ginny and Neville, and the very shell shocked Dursleys.

Ginny had a cut across her face, and Neville was clutching his stomach, and Mr. Dursley appeared to have retched like his son, but otherwise they looked fine.

"Barely lost them," Ginny gasped. "Guess we go now?"

"No No No not doing that again!" Dudley screamed.

"I…refuse…to…as well…" Vernon gasped spastically. "You're…all…insane…I can't…stand another…moment with…you…"

"Well, your prayers have been answered," A figure stepped out from the darkness behind the Dursleys "_Avada Kedavra!_"

There was a green flash and without a sound, Vernon Dursley fell, dead before he hit the ground.

"Vernon! VERNON!" Petunia screamed, staring pop eyed at the corpse. "Oh my God…!"

"Silence, Muggle," The hooded Death Eater snapped and with another flash of green, Petunia Dursley joined her husband in the afterlife and on the ground.

As the rest of them stood there in shock, Bellatrix Lestrange pulled off her hood with a twisted smile and rolled the dead woman over with her foot.

"Who's next?" she hissed.

…

Karolina: All right, just follow Nico's lead and you should make it through in one piece.

Victor: You guys have some kind of rallying cry? You know,_Avengers Assemble? It's clobberin' time? Hulk smash?_

Nico (jumping into the fight): "Try not to die."

-Runaways 7 (second series)


	29. Shock

Chapter 29

Shock

Hermione tried to scream, but her mouth wasn't working. Her eyes were on the dead bodies before her. For some reason, the thing that was foremost in her mind was she was going to be able to see Thestrals now. Odd, this was the first time she'd seen someone die. Considering how many people she'd known that had actually died…and that this was Harry's…fourth time?

The pointless thoughts pounded in her head. The others seemed frozen around her too. The first person able to break out of the trance was Dudley.

"Mum! Dad!" Dudley scrambled forward on his hands and knees towards his parents. "What…this isn't…"

Bellatrix rolled her eyes and pointed her wand at Dudley, now frantically shaking his father's shoulder. "Too easy. I_Avada-_/I

"No!" Harry leaped forward and grabbed Bellatrix's wrist, skewing her aim so the wall next to them exploded with brick dust. Both of them fell to the ground, wrestling over the wand. Hermione, now regaining the feeling back in her legs, fumbled for hers, which she had dropped in her shock. It was impossible to see in the darkness. "Accio…" she muttered and the object flew into her hand before she could finish her incantation. Dimly she could hear screams in the background, all along the street. The Muggles had woken up to the nightmare outside.

Bellatrix kicked Harry in the stomach and cried out a incoherent incantation, and suddenly their friend was convulsing all over the ground.

"Harry!" Ron cries and ran forward to drag Harry out of the way, and Bellatrix turned her wand on him, but Hermione cried "Petrificus Totalus!" and the woman was forced to get out of the way. But Lestrange turned her wand on the sky instead "_Morsmodre!_ And the Dark Mark glittered like a homing beacon.

Planplanplan! Hermione's brain screamed as Death Eaters appeared all around them. There were only about four of them….they could take them…Stupefy…

All she had to do was think and the curse was flying out of her mind and through her wand, toward a Death Eater who deflected it with "Protego!"

"Don't kill Potter! The rest of them don't matter!" She wasn't sure if anyone actually said this, or if it was just playing over in her mind from the many times she'd heard it, as her mouth said spells and her hand fired them, her body and mind seemingly disconnected. She had no idea what was going on around her, and it came as a big shock, when suddenly with an "Avada Kedavra!" Lucius Malfoy (where had he come from, anyway?) was standing over Dudley's dead body and saying to a Harry who somehow seemed okay now "Come with us, Potter, or I kill them all!"

And then, more shouted curses, and Ron was tugging on her arm, and all pulling in together, and Hermione knew to Apparate with them, and as she willed herself to safety, and dropped into a clearing, she also knew she had no idea where she was, or what had just happened.

The others were around her, as she had held on tight, and as she sat there stunned, listening to a few of them vomit, Ginny was crying…she realized she couldn't breathe. Ron put his arm around her shoulder as she struggled to do so. She hugged him tightly and began to cry, and he cried too, and it was a long time before she could hear sound again.

"…how is he…of Azakaban…?"

"You haven't been…news, Harry. They've been…months…"

"Never should…gone. God, this is…"

"…happened….can't change it…"

"…too much…"

"Hermione….okay?"

"Yes," she managed to say hoarsely, as Ginny knelt beside her and Ron. Her brain was pounding painfully in her head.

"At least we're alive," Ginny sighed.

"They're not."

"…yeah."

They sat there for a long time before they decided to get some sleep. They set up the tent magically, a huge one like the Quidditch worried up. Harry said he needed to think, and he'd stay outside a little longer. Hermione bunked with Ron, wanting to be near him. She fell asleep pretty quickly, wanting to forget.

When she woke up, Harry was peering down at her and she found she couldn't move. She mouthed soundlessly, and saw Ron awake beside her. Harry ran his fingers through his messy hair, looking sad. Finally he spoke.

"This is stupid…but I just wanted to say goodbye before I went."

It said a lot about how well she knew Harry that she immediately what he meant.

**Raven:** I will go with you.  
**Robin:** We won't let them take you!  
**Starfire:** You need to get back in the safety room! Please!  
**Raven:** I can't hide from my destiny any longer.  
**Beast Boy:** No!

(Raven turns around and knocks all of them unconscious with her powers)  
**Raven:** (_softly, ruefully_) Goodbye. Be safe.


	30. Left

Chapter 30

Left.

Hermione couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She had been Petrified. As in "Petrificus Totalus." And so had Ron. By Harry, who was standing over them. She knew there was only one reason this could be happening. She guessed what Harry was going to say before he even said it.

"I'm going," he sighed, sinking down on the chair beside her bed. "To get him. Voldemort. And…I just wanted to say…goodbye. I know you want to come. I know I'm being selfish, not getting as much help as I can. I am selfish. I just can't take it anymore. I don't want to watch helpless while anymore people die. I'm tired of seeing it, I'm tired of…it. It seems like people are always making up my mind for me and I can't do anything about it. I didn't ask to be "the Chosen One" but I am. I didn't ask for Cedric or Dumbledore or Sirius or the Dursleys to die, but they did…and I couldn't stop it. I even kind of caused it. Dumbledore once told me there's a difference between being dragged into the ring and going in with your head held high. He said I should kill Voldemort not because of the prophecy, but because I'm filled with vengeance." Harry looked at his hands. "I don't really feel filled with vengeance. I just feel tired. I dunno. I just want it to be over. I've got to take control. I'm sorry."

Hermione was still trying desperately to talk, to scream, anything…but she couldn't. She just had to listen.

"I never could have done any of this without you two. Thanks, seriously, for helping me find all the Horcruxes…for everything. I know this is hard. It's always been the three of us. I never could have made it, without you…you're my best friends and my only family. I…just…thanks. I don't think it would make a difference if you came with me. I'm supposed to do it alone, I think. See, this is how my plan works…I'm going to go and draw attention to myself. Then the Death Eaters will kidnap me and take me to Voldemort…but I'll escape…somehow and surprise him. Because…I'll steal your wand and put it up my sleeve! Then we'll fight. But you two would be killed on sight, which would ruin my plan. So…I have a logical reason for not taking you too."

If Hermione could talk, she would have told Harry he wasn't very good at logic and would really require some lessons before he was. But she couldn't, so he continued uninterrupted.

"I know you don't want to hear this, and I've been talking much too long. I…have to go…just…you two….I'll try and come back, so you can yell at me about all this. Just like old times. If not…I'm really sorry. You were the greatest friends I could have ever wished for. Thanks."

He grabbed Hermione's wand from her bag and shoved it up his sleeve, then brandished his own. "Bye." He muttered softly.

Then he cleared his throat and said "Stupefy!"

Wandless magic only works under extreme stress, especially for difficult spells, such as Protego. It took extreme concentration of emotion and logic, compounded by stress. Every inch of your magical BEING had to be concentrated. You had to want it more than anything in the world.

Hermione had never wanted anything more in her life than to remain conscious at this moment.

I_StopStopStopremainconciousremainrescuesavenonononoPROTEGO!I/_

She felt a vague jolt of drowsiness and that was it. Instinctively she closed her eyes and pretended to be knocked out.

She heard Harry cast the spell again on Ron. Then she heard him mutter something mostly incoherent, but it sounded slightly self-deprecating. There was a long pause. She thought perhaps he'd changed his mind. But then his footsteps sounded, quick and confident and sure, like he was ready for his final sacrifice.

She waited for them to recede entirely then opened her eyes.

"Ron?"

"Yeah…" she heard Ron mutter, sounding garbled. She beamed. He had resisted the spell like her! Though it sounded as though it had had slightly more of an effect.

"We have to get out of this," she declared.

"No way, really…" Ron drowsed.

"Yes. We need to summon our wands. Excuse me, WAND, since he took mine."

"Keep going, lay out every detail of the plan for my benefit…"

"You are very intolerable when you're tired. This is serious. Now let me concentrate…"

"I already summoned it…while you…were talking…" Ron yawned.

"Good, then…wait, I've just realized we're talking."

"Yeah, I just said…"

Hermione sat up and shook her head. "We're not paralyzed anymore…it wore off somehow! I wonder is it was our wandless magic, or if the Stupefy spell simply negated…"

"Hermione, shouldn't we be saving Harry from…whatever…"

"Right!" Hermione snatched up Ron's wand. "Rennervate!"

"Thanks," Ron said, jumping up. "Come on, let's go!"

They ran out of the tent to find a distinct lack of Harry.

"He already Apparated! He could be anywhere!" Hermione moaned.

"Let's wake up Ginny, Neville and Luna and figure this out," Ron opened the tent on the three prone companions. "Looks like they've been Stupefied too."

"Renervate, Renervate, Renervate!" Hermione said quickly and each friend sprang up accordingly.

"Harry!" Ginny cried.

"He talked to you too?" Ron said.

"Huh? What about Harry?" Neville yawned.

"Is this a hallucination or something?" Luna muttered.

"He's going to fight Voldemort! We don't know where he went," Ron explained.

Hermione massaged her temples as Luna and Neville chattered in confusion, Ron and Ginny filling in gaps. "He said…he was going to let the Death Eaters get him. Now. Where would Harry Potter go to attract the attention of Death Eaters?"

They all looked at each other.

"Hogwarts," all five of them chorused.

They gathered together and Apparated away.

Much to their surprise, they appeared right on Hogwarts grounds.

"Wha-?" Hermione muttered, spinning around. "I thought we'd just have to get as close as possible…what happened to the anti- Apparition spell?"

"I don't know, but this can't be good," Ginny said slowly, coming up behind Hermione and staring at the grim gray empty castle. Wind whistled eerily through the trees of the Forbidden forest. Hermione felt like they were in a ghost town.

"Harry's not here," Neville shivered. "NOBODY is here."

"Think again," someone behind them said.

All six of them spun around to stare at a cocky pale pointed face; one Hermione had had to endure looking at for six years, though it was the mouth she hated most, and how the word "Mudblood" would tend to pour out of it mind numbingly often.

"Malfoy," Hermione muttered, reaching for her wand, but then she heard the sound of rustling and realized he was not alone, and his smirk was the last thing she saw before everything went black.

-Kon: Of course I'm sure!

Cassie: Oh yeah? Like how sure?

Kon: Like…like…seventy… _two_... percent sure.

-Impulse number 77


	31. Victims

Chapter 31

Victims

When Hermione woke up, the first thing she saw was Draco Malfoy's smug expression. She struggled to sit up but discovered her arms and legs were bound. She wriggled around hopelessly, as Malfoy laughed. He leaned over and started to say something, but before he could she hit him in the face with her bound hands.

"Agth! You- !" He fell over and she kicked him in the stomach, so his wand went flying out of his hand. Struggling up, she crawled haphazardly toward his wand, which qualified lots of undignified looking movement. Finally, she within range, and reached for it with her bound wrists.

A strong hand grabbed her by the shoulder. "That will be quite enough, Miss Granger."

She looked up and gasped at the pallid face of Severus Snape, looking at her, as usual, with disdain. "You-!" She coughed and tried to hit him as she had Malfoy, but he sighed and pushed her away, grabbing Malfoy's wand and throwing it at him as he mopped at his bleeding nose, looking enraged. "Excellent job with the captive, Draco. I'm sure the Dark Lord would be very impressed by your self defense skills against a bound, unarmed teenage girl."

Draco scowled. "Filthy Mud-

"What have you done with Harry? Where are my friends? You'd better-!" Hermione screamed, but Snape cut her off. "Please, Granger, I know hysteria and crying are your natural bent, but if you could stay calm and stop hitting people, I believe everything could be explained."

"All I need to know is you killed Dumbledore and now you're working for Voldemort! After all the times I told Harry and Ron "Oh, I know he's a lousy git (or whatever they'd say about you) but he can't be evil, he's on OUR side! Just because you're a horrible person doesn't mean you're a Death Eater! But I suppose I was wrong! You're a…a…murderer! And if you think I'm letting you get near me, you're wrong! Now, tell me where Harry and the rest of my friends are!"

"Oh, of course, why would I not? You look so very menacing all tied up like that. You always think you're such a clever little girl, don't you? Well, I'm afraid that you've been outsmarted. You really are very stupid after all. Now, if you'd just listen…" Snape said, leaning against the barren wall of the room she was in.

"The only stupid thing I ever did was trust you!" Hermione screamed, as Draco chortled. "And don't even get me started on you, after all the times we've beaten you, you don't realize you're a pathetic-

"If I may interrupt, Granger, I'd like to ask a question of your oh so magnificent mind to unravel," Snape said smoothly. "Why aren't you dead?"

"What?"

"Why haven't we killed you? You are of no value to the Dark Lord, we have nothing to gain from keeping you in here and God knows I despise you. Think: Why aren't you dead right now?"

"You wanted to make me listen to your snide comments before I died?" Hermione guessed.

"You really have been hanging around Potter far too long. His churlishness is rubbing off on you. No, Granger, because Draco and I want the Dark Lord as dead as you do."

There was a moment's pause where Hermione gathered together her thoughts. "Oh, honestly. Do you really expect me to believe that? You killed Dumbledore! Harry saw it!"

"And this is why good grades do not equal brains. Do you really believe I could have killed Albus Dumbledore if he didn't want me to?" Snape scoffed.

"What? Harry said he was weakened…"

"And do you think Albus just trusted me with no reason behind it? Here's another question, Granger, get this one right and I'll award Gryffindor ten points, What did Potter say were Dumbledore's last words?"

Hermione bit her lip and tried to remember. "Severus…please…?"

"Oh, good job. This one's for twenty. Do you honestly think Albus Dumbledore would beg for his life?"

"I…"

"He wasn't begging for his life. It was his death he was begging for."

"Why would he want you to kill him?" Hermione asked angrily.

"You got an O in Arithmacy, Granger, why don't you figure it out?"

"Well…the only reason…I can fathom…is that he'd think your status as a spy is so important…that if the choice came down to jeopardizing that or killing him…you would have to kill him to cement your place in the Death Eaters?"

"And Hermione Granger single handedly propels Gryffindor to the House Cup! For once, Potter doesn't take all the credit!" Snape said sarcastically, leaving his spot of wall and beginning to pace. "Yes, Miss Granger. That was a deal Dumbledore and I made. It was the hardest thing I ever did. Dumbledore is the only person in the world I care about."

"Hey-" Malfoy interrupted.

"Silence, Draco. And as my reward, I am now The Dark Lords most trusted associate. Nobody doubts my loyalty now. As my reward, I have been given the task of killing five bratty teenagers, two of whom are most certainly my second and third least favorite students in the history of Hogwarts. Unfortunately, I made a promise to Albus long ago not to kill any of Harry's friends, so we're just going to have to kill the Dark Lord instead and end this damn war once and for all."

"And Malfoy?" Hermione said.

"Is going to help us as well. I know you children have a petty rivalry, but Malfoy is going to overlook the fact that he will be inadvertently saving Potter, because Draco doesn't really have a taste for killing at all. The Dark Lord wasn't very happy with his failure to kill Albus, and killed Narcissa as punishment for the insolence. Since then, he has sent Draco on several missions that his other Death Eaters are too valuable to send on, and has tortured him a bit as well. Needless to say, Malfoy is quite disenchanted with his Lord and Master. His hatred for him exceeds his hatred for Potter."

Malfoy nodded sullenly. Hermione noticed for the first time he was even thinner and paler than he last time she'd seen him, and appeared to be in ill health. She turned her attention to Snape again. "Why should I believe any of this?"

"Because you have no other choice. The reason I chose to rouse you before the others is you have better intuition and are more level headed than any of your peers, not that that's saying much, mind you. But unless you're duller than I think, you can clearly see I am telling the truth, if only by the fact, as I said before, you are not dead. I have you at my mercy. What could I possibly hope to gain by lying to you like this? Now, if you want to defeat the Dark Lord, come with us to rouse your friends. You'll find a pleasant surprise."

With a flick of his wand, Snape untied Hermione, who rubbed her wrists and got up cautiously. Whatever this was, there was no way she could escape. She followed them through the door and into the room where she saw her friends, unconscious and tied up. Among them was Harry.

"The Dark Lord is off on some secretive killing spree, and we are unable to contact him, so, as I said, I've been charged with holding all of you until he gets back." Snape handed her a wand. "I believe this is yours. It was up Potter's sleeve."

Hermione took it cautiously, as if she was afraid it would explode or something.

"Well, go rouse them. And try to get the idea we want to help him through Potter's thick skull."

"I think we're going to need something resembling actual proof you're not completely and irredeemably evil to do that, but fine," Hermione walked over to her friends. Snape flicked his wand with a sigh, and all five of her comrade's eyes seemed to open at once.

"Uh?"

"What are we doing here…?"

"Tied up…"

"Hermione, why are you untied?"

"Harry! You're okay!"

"WE'RE not okay…"

"Where are we?"

"Hey, is that Malfoy?"

"_ Snape. _ Harry said, ignoring the others and focusing on the greasy haired man across the room.

"Harry…the rest of you…" Hermione knelt down and whispered. "Listen, Snape's untied me. He says we're in Voldemort's…lair or whatnot. He says he only killed Dumbledore because Dumbledore told him if it ever came down between Snape's place as a spy that Snape would have to kill Dumbledore. He wants to help us get Voldemort…"

"That's a lie!" Harry hissed. "Hermione, you didn't see the look on his face! He hates Dumbledore! He's evil! You know it!"

"Harry, I don't know…"

Harry ignored her and turned his head to Snape. "You're a LIAR! YOU KILLED DUMBLEDORE!"

"Potter, I have put up with your antics and melodrama for years now, and I am tired of it. Here is the true story, choose to believe it or not, I don't care. I did make that promise to Dumbledore, and the reason I had to kill him was because I took something called the Unbreakable Vow. When Draco was assigned to murder Dumbledore, his mother came to me begging me to take the Vow that if Draco did not succeed in killing Dumbledore, I would. I had to take the Vow in order not to jeopardize my position as spy. I immediately went and told Dumbledore about it and he told me I was to honor the vow and kill him if Draco did not, because my position was important. I was not happy about it, but those were his orders. Now I am willing to help you defeat the Dark Lord, and if you don't except it, you are dishonoring the whole point of your beloved mentors death. He died so I could be in this position and so I could help you. First of all, I assume you want the snake, as it is the final Horcrux….

"WHAT?" Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna all cut Snape off at the same time.

"Yes, I know all about the Horcruxes…Albus told me. I assume you've destroyed everything except Nagini?" Snape said in a bored tone.

"DID Dumbledore tell you about the Horcrux? Or did VOLDEMORT?" Harry spat.

"Potter, even you must realize how abysmally stupid that question is. It doesn't matter how much he trusts me, the Dark Lord would never tell me his most guarded secret. Now do you want the snake or not?"

"It's a trap…" Harry muttered.

"Harry's probably right," Ron nodded.

"This…is really…bad…" Neville said, staring at Snape in absolute terror.

"Just imagine him in that Bogart outfit you told me about," Luna comforted Neville.

"I told you not to follow me!" Harry snapped. "Now Snape's going to kill all of us!"

"No, I think he'd give Voldemort the honor of killing you," Ginny said levelly.

"All of you…I don't know about this…what would he have to gain by lying to us? We're in Voldemort's lair…we're already dead…it doesn't matter if it's a trap…" Hermione said reasonably.

"He just doesn't want me to get a shot at getting to Voldemort…" Harry muttered.

"Voldemort would kill him if he killed you. He wants you, remember?" Hermione said.

"Hermione, how can you trust him…?"

"I'm just saying, if it's a trap, it's no worse than the situation we're in now…"

"You do realize I and Draco can hear every word you're saying?" Snape said. "Very well. Malfoy, dispel their notions of deceit. Get the snake."

Draco nodded, and went out of the room.

"You just want to believe Snape's good so you'll be RIGHT!" Harry snarled.

"You honestly think I'm that selfish? You're just ignoring logic, Harry! AGAIN!" Hermione cried. "I hate Snape too! But his argument makes sense! This is the only thing we can do if we hope to get to Voldemort and-

Hermione was interrupted when Draco entered the room with the massive boa constrictor that was Nagini twined around his shoulders.

"The Dark Lord would have to be going on a very dangerous mission, that's the only time he allows her to be separated from him," Snape made everyone's ropes dissapear as Draco put the snake down in front of Harry, glaring at him. Harry immediately snatched for his wand pointing it at Snape. Snape crossed his arms, not making a move to defend himself.

"Don't we have a more pressing matter, Potter? The Dark Lord will be back soon." Snape gestured at the snake.

Harry stared at Snape his wand shaking in his hand and his mouth slightly open. Snape looked calmly back. After a few minutes of silence, Nagini hissed. Finally, Harry lowered his wand to point at her…and hissed right back.

"Nothing spoils a nice car trip like a whiny kidnapping victim."

-Count Olaf, A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Slippery Slope, By Lemony Snicket.


	32. Ripe for the Kill

Chapter 32

Ripe for the Kill

"We're not going to kill the snake are we?" Luna said.

"We have to, there's a piece of Voldemort's soul in it," Ron explained.

"Oh," Luna said.

"Wait, WHAT?" Neville sputtered.

"Ssssssss…." Harry hissed at the snake.

"Yes, Potter, we all know about your impressive abilities, now get on with it," Snape drawled.

"YOU shut up," Harry said angrily in English. "I'm trying to make sure it's a Horcrux."

"Oh then, carry on. We wouldn't want to kill a snake that works for Voldemort if it's INNOCENT," Malfoy rolled his eyes.

"Hey, Malfoy, why is your nose bleeding?" Ginny said cuttingly.

"Shut up, Weasley."

Nagini hissed and Harry's mouth dropped open.

"What did it say?" Hermione asked.

"You don't want to know. She's a Horcrux all right," Harry raised his wand. "All right then. Sorry about this Nagini…I mean," Harry cleared his throat and spoke in Parseltongue. "Hesssssshhhhhaaaaa-sssshhhuiiiiiissss…"

"Oh for- I _Avada Kedavra/I_ Snape pointed his wand at Nagini and she fell dead to the ground. "Potter, I have doubts you can kill the Dark Lord if you can't kill a snake before making apologies…"

"Shut up!" Harry said, jumping up and pointing his wand at Snape. "I don't know what game you're playing, but it's not going to work!"

Snape crossed his arms, looking bored when suddenly they heard someone call "Severus?"

"Everyone be quiet," Snape muttered. "I'll handle this."

Snape went to the door, leaving Harry with his wand pointed at nothing. while Malfoy continued to glare at all of them threateningly.

"Yes, Bellatrix?" Snape opened the door, slipping out and closing it behind him. They could still hear his voice through the wall.

"Is Potter still unconscious?" Bellatrix Lestrange asked.

"Yes."

"And you've killed the others, I trust?"

"Actually, no."

"What? Why? They're of no use to us."

"Obviously, I'm waiting for the Dark Lord to get back so he can give me the order."

"Why would he want those brats alive?"

"He might wish to torture them in front of Potter. You know how it is. Believe, Potter is hopelessly attached to his idiotic sidekicks. Nothing would cause him more pain that watching the Dark Lord kill them."

"You have a point there. Very well, I just came by because I found something else in Potter's jacket. I think it belongs to you. How is it that he has it?"

Everyone turned to look at Harry, including Malfoy.

"What do you have of Snape's?" Hermione hissed.

"Nothing!" Harry whispered. "I don't know what they're talking about-

He was interrupted by Snape's voice outside the door.

"What? I haven't seen that in years."

"You used to wear it all the time. You said it was a family heirloom?"

"Yes…" Snape sounded shocked.

"How would Potter get it, Snape?" Bellatrix had an edge to her voice now.

"I have no idea. Don't look at me like that, Bellatrix. I thought we moved past all the skepticism about me. Or is this simply jealousy because you are not longer the "favorite"?"

"You may expect others to lick your boots because you killed the old man, but I'm watching you, Snape," Bellatrix snapped, and they heard her begin to retreat.

"I tremble in fear," Snape said sardonically. They listened to Bellatrix's footsteps retreat until they couldn't hear them anymore. Then the door burst open, Snape bursting through angrily. "I _Potter! Where did you get this/I _He threw something to the ground in front of Harry, something similar in size to a bullet, it landed on the floor with a sharp clang. Harry stared at it in puzzlement as Hermione crawled over to get a closer look. It was the ring Hermione had found at Harry's parents house, the one with the green skull on it.

"Oh…" Harry said. "Hermione found that at Godrics Hollow…"

"Wait, it's YOURS?" Hermione cried. "What on earth was it doing_there_ then?"

Snape snatched the ring from the floor as Ron reached for it. "That is none of your business."

"They're my parents, so they are my business!" Harry snapped. "You'd better tell us what's going on right now, or we're going to break out of here and find Voldemort ourselves! We don't need your help!"

Snape sighed, running his hands through his greasy hair and looking agitated. Malfoy was looking at him in astonishment.

"Very well. I am going to tell you the explanation and I will only tell you it once, so listen for once in your life. I was there the night your parents died."

"WHAT?" Everyone including Malfoy gasped.

"You…you were with Voldemort…?" Harry said, and Hermione could already see him start to get angry.

"No, I was not. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did not see me. I was there to warn your dear parents that the Dark Lord was coming to kill them."

"Wh-what…" Harry stammered.

"Kindly do not interrupt my explanation, Potter, I'm trying to keep it brief. All of us were aware of the Potter's location, as Pettigrew had confessed it in front of all of us. So I did know where they were. And when I saw the signs that the Dark Lord was planning to go after them on Hallow's eve, I was compelled to go warn them."

"Why? You hated by parents." Harry said.

"Yes. Very much so. But I had that bloody oath to contend with."

"Huh?"

"You are aware that your father saved my life once, if not entirely for his own selfish reason. Well, because of that I had a despicable bond. Now, the way the magic goes, the only time a person can be forced against his will to save the life of those he is bonded to is if that person specifically cries out for their help in danger, in other cases you merely feel a very compelling tug to help the person, but you can resist it. I felt this tug, and truth be told, I was not overtly happy about the Dark Lord's command over me at this point, not to mention, being in debt to your father was something I absolutely hated. So I felt it necessary to even the score. Therefore, I went to warn them that night. Much to my surprise, your father believed, though this was most likely because of the fact that I knew where they lived. However, it was too late. As they were preparing to leave, the Dark Lord came. I hid, of course."

"Well, wasn't that brave of you?" Ron cut in.

Snape sneered. "The difference between a Slytherin and a Gryffindor is that a Slytherin knows the difference between "brave" and "stupid", Weasley, which has never been a concept you were very good at grasping. Yes, I hid. And I watched helplessly as Lily and James Potter were murdered. Then he, of course, turned on Potter. Obviously he was planning to make his a Horcrux with that murder, as he had some sort of gauntlet with him. However, as we all know, The Dark Lord's spell ricocheted off Potter, due to his mother's sacrifice. And a shred Dark Lord's soul, which came out to find it's awaiting Horcrux, ricocheted off Potter as well, leaving that scar. It then went into that gauntlet, which disappeared. Obviously it was spelled to be a transported to a preordained location once the soul had entered. Then the house exploded, and I was injured, but I did manage to get out of there before anyone came. And that is why my ring is there…I supposed in all the excitement it fell off."

"So wait," Hermione said as Harry looked stunned. "You're telling me that the reason Harry has his scar, and his connection to Voldemort, is because he was…touched…by Voldemort's soul? And the reason Voldemort's soul didn't make I_him_/I it's Horcrux was because of his mother's protection?"

"Yes, Granger, that is what I'm telling you," Snape sighed, looking harassed.

"And you're also saying," Ginny said, "that Voldemort was on his sixth Horcrux when he attacked the Potters? Not his seventh?"

"He was probably going to use the last one on Neville," Harry muttered, staring into space, still looking shocked.

"Wait, what?" Neville said.

"Yes, Longbottom, you were, along with Potter, a candidate for the one who was supposed to defeat the Dark Lord for good."

"No. You're joking," Malfoy said. "LONGBOTTOM? The CHOSEN One?"

"Sorry, did I forget to mention that?" Harry said.

"Yes, it's true. And I thought it wasn't possible for there to be a worse candidate than Potter. Fortunately, it is certainly Potter who is charged with the Dark Lords defeat. Ill equipped though he might be," Snape got up and shoved the ring in his robe pocket. "Do you trust me now, Potter?"

"You were still responsible for their deaths," Harry muttered. "Dumbledore told me…"

"Yes, I was the one who informed the Dark Lord of the Prophecy. And while I cannot say I am wracked with eternal guilt over the role I played in your parents deaths, I didn't want it to turn out the way it did, and am…sorry…about it. But what is important now, Potter, is that we end this reign of terror once and for all. And by some cruel twist of fate, you are the only hope of doing so. And though I do not like you, I am obligated to help you, so this can happen. So, will you trust me…or get yourself, and by consequence, millions of others, killed by charging into this with the thoughtlessness that you always do?"

Harry sank to the ground and sighed. For a minute or two, there was complete silence as he stared blankly at the wall. After a while, he lifted his head up and said. "Fine. First off, where are we?"

"Hogwarts," Snape said.

"What?"

"We're in Hogwarts. That's where we found you after all. As you can see, it was obviously abandoned after the attack, which a few people died in. We're using it for our own purposes now."

"People died?" Neville said. "Who?"

Snape shrugged. "It doesn't matter. This is war. People die in wars. All that matters is ending it."

Harry looked like he very much wanted to hit Snape, but instead said, "What's the plan?"

"The 'plan' is that I will use the element of surprise to get the jump on my fellow Death Eaters. Meanwhile, one of you needs to get the Order to come in and help us, as well as anybody else. When the Dark Lord arrives and finds all his Death Eaters defeated and multiple opponents in their place, perhaps we will be able to kill him once and for all."

"Okay, who wants to go get the Order?" Harry said dully.

There was a long silence before Neville said, "I guess I'll do it."

Snape sneered. "Longbottom will end up on the other side of the country trying to find them. I wouldn't trust…"

"Okay, Neville," Harry said loudly. "That sounds great. Er, I don't know exactly where they are. They probably abandoned their old headquarters when they found out about Snape."

"I think I have a pretty good idea," Neville said. "How do I get out unnoticed?"

"Come with us, then, I'll get you out," Snape said scornfully. "Perhaps it's better not to have you with us anyway."

Neville narrowed his eyes at Snape but got up to follow him, and so did Hermione and everyone else. Harry turned to look at his friends. "I didn't want you here."

"Well, surprise," Ginny said. "We came anyway."

Harry sighed. Hermione noted how tired he looked. "Nothing I can do now."

He turned to face Snape and Malfoy who were waiting impatiently.

"All right," he said. "Let's go."

-

It's been two long years now  
Since the top of the world came crashing down  
And I'm getting' it back on the road now

But I'm taking the long way  
Taking the long way around  
I'm taking the long way  
Taking the long way around  
The long  
The long way around

Well, I fought with a stranger and I met myself  
I opened my mouth and I heard myself  
It can get pretty lonely when you show yourself  
Guess I could have made it easier on myself

But I...I could never follow...

-_Taking the Long Way, _The Dixie Chicks


	33. Decisions and the Deceased

Chapter 33

The Decisions and the Deceased.

Hermione couldn't believe they had actually gotten to this point. After all these years, all the preparation, they were finally in the belly of the beast. It was almost unreal. What they were about to do…

"Very well," Snape hissed. "Now, the plan is for Draco and I to ambush the Death Eaters. This will eventually unravel, which is why we must get some help. Potter, here is your cloak, which we found about your person. Put Longbottom under it and he will be able to escape, if he doesn't do anything predictable, like trip all over the thing."

"Don't worry about that," Neville said sharply, taking the cloak.

"Yes, I have the utmost faith in you," Snape said blithely. "The rest of you, follow, but keep out of sight."

They did so, creeping out into the hall, Harry still watching Snape without trust. They were on the ground floor, and Snape told everyone but Neville to stay back, casually opening the double doors of the front entrance and peering out He waited for a minute, then turned a hissed "Longbottom! Come on!" Hermione saw a wind flutter near a table of plants in the Entrance Hall she didn't remember being there before, and heard footsteps retreating from that spot. After a few seconds, presumably Neville slipped past Snape and he shut the doors. No sooner did they do that than they heard more, louder footsteps. Snape gestured at them and everyone but Draco retreated to the Great Hall. Two Death Eaters entered. Their hoods were down, so Hermione recognized them as Macnair, the man who had attempted to execute Buckbeak and a man she thought was called Avery.

"What are you doin' here, Snape?" Macnair asked curiously. "I thought you and the kid were supposed the be guarding Potter."

"There was a…disturbance," Snape said casually.

"A disturbance?" Avery said.

"Yes. A disturbance." Snape calmly stated as Malfoy came up behind Macnair and stunned him without saying a word. As the man fell to the floor, Avery turned around, his mouth agape and reaching for his wand, but Snape whipped out his own wand and hit him with his own Stunning Spell.

"Can't allow them to wake up, take their wands and lock them in a closet or something," Snape said to Malfoy as the rest of them moved into join. Malfoy obeyed, dragging their bodies out of sight.

"So we just go on like this?" Ginny asked, raising an eyebrow.

"If any of you have come up with a superior plan, then by all means, tell me," Snape said.

"I-" Luna began.

"Except for her."

Malfoy came trudging back, glaring at them all sullenly. Ron turned to Luna.

"Do you really have a plan?"

"Well, yes, but it would require a unicorn being present," Luna shrugged. "What I was trying to say, somebody is watching us. And not just Peeves in the ceiling."

"What?" Hermione looked up to see the grinning poltergeist above them, watching with interest. "What's he doing-?"

"Wait, who's watching us?" Harry said.

"Somebody," Luna said succinctly.

"O-kay." Harry rubbed his head. "Well, this is going lovely.

Luna stared at the staircase blankly. Hermione was half listening to the conversation and trying to hear what Snape and Malfoy were talking about. Something about Malfoy's revenge or whatever…Snape was saying they needed to hurry and finish off the other Death Eaters, which they did…no time for-

" Hope Peeves isn't planning to throw those water balloons at US, because that's very ru- Oh no." Luna stopped midsentence. "LOOK OUT!" Very suddenly the dishwater blonde tackled Hermione out of the way of a rushing pink light, which hit Luna in the chest instead. They both fell to the ground, Luna sprawled across Hermione.

Bellatrix had stepped out from behind the staircase.

"Expelliarmus!" She cried, and a shocked Snape's wand went flying out of his hand. "I knew you were up to something, Severus. You fooled _everybody else_…the Dark Lord himself, even…but you never fooled me. Who's the favorite now?"

Luna was breathing very raggedly, but she seemed fine. Hermione saw Harry slowly raise his wand.

"Don't even think about it, Potter," Bellatrix still had her wand trained on Snape. "They're coming."

Just as she said that, they heard footsteps. And indeed, they came. Fenrir Greyback entered, loping on all fours and snarling. Peter Pettigrew came down the stairs, followed by four anonymous hooded Death Eaters…then four more…and four more. Hermione felt her heart race. Luna's breathing was growing shallower and shallower.

Dead silence filled the room. All of them were frozen. Trapped. There was no way they could win. Bellatrix chuckled hollowly.

And then…

"_Peeves._" Luna broke the silence in a strangled whisper.

Seemingly from and invisible hand, water balloons crashed down on Bellatrix and the rest of the Death Eaters. Then the room exploded. Curses began flying everywhere, the Death Eaters sufficiently distracted and blinded, and Peeves zoomed away cackling. Luna, however, was convulsing spastically in Hermione's arms.

"Luna!" Hermione places her on the ground, fumbling for her wand, eyes wide. "Luna, are you all right?"

"Yes," Luna managed to say. "Except I seem to be dying."

"No, you're not! I won't let you!" Hermione said fiercely. Her mind searched it's vast library frantically, trying to figure out what sort of curse Bellatrix had uised. "Just hang on, all right? Hang on!"

"All right, then," Luna said, her eyes fluttering. "But I don't think there's a counter curse here, though I may be wrong."

"Of course you're wrong," Hermione said frantically. "But me, I'm right a lot of the time…" She realized she didn't have her bag with her. She had lost it along the way somewhere. "Oh no….oh NO."

Luna was going into a convulsive seizure now, drooling all over the place, her body bucking like a horse. Hermione tried to stabilize her, make sure she didn't bash her head or bite off her tongue, tears running thickly down her cheeks, because she recognized the curse now. seizure, hemorrhaging…and Luna was right…there was no counter curse. There was nothing Hermione could do.

"Luna…Luna…" Hermione choked through her tears as the seizure calmed down. "Luna…thank you…for saving me. Thank you. I don't deserve it after the way I treated you as first…oh please…"

"S'okay," Luna managed to croak. "S'little…loony…me…"

"No, no you aren't," Hermione sobbed, cradling Luna's head as curses zoomed over her. "You aren't at all. You…you're the one person I know who doesn't hide themselves…who truly knows who…who they are. You have faith in things…you believe…that's something I wish I could do…have faith. When I called you silly…what was I talking about? This is a world with magic after all…how am I to say there isn't a…such…thing…as…as a Crumple Horned Sn-Snorkack? How am I-?" Hermione broke off, sobbing. Luna smiled at her peacefully.

"S'okay. You're…friend. Never had…that…before…"

"Yes…you're a wonderful friend. A best friend," Hermione could barely get the words out through her tears.

Luna closed her eyes as Hermione gripped her hand. "Good…tell…Dad…I….loveim…kay?" She coughed up blood and sighed. "Mum…"

"No…no…don't go!" Hermione squeezed Luna's hand desperately as her shoulders relax. "No, Luna, PLEASE! YOU CAN'T! LUNA!"

But it was too late. Hermione could feel the life leaving Luna Lovegood and going somewhere she couldn't see.

"No...No…" she gripped Luna's hand and sobbed. "No! It's all…my fault…"

"Hermione!" Harry had stopped beside her. "Hermione, what's wrong with Luna? She's okay, isn't she?"

Hermione shook her head, unable to speak anymore as her body shook.

Harry collapsed on his knees. "No…" he echoed Hermione bleakly. "No, this can't be-

"HARRY!" Ron screamed. "LOOK OUT!"

That's when a snarling Fenrir Greyback knocked Harry away from Hermione and across the floor.

-Cassandra (Batgirl): No…this is…why does everybody I care about die?

Stephanie (Spoiler/Robin IV): Because you care about everybody. And everybody dies.

_- Batgirl Issue: Revelations _


	34. Wolfsbane

Chapter 34

Wolfsbane

Hermione screamed. Harry yelled. Ron gasped. Vainly Harry fought Greyback, who was smelly and gray and snarling, spattering blood and drool all over the boy. Hermione grabbed her wand and began throwing every spell she knew at the werewolf but they seemed to bounce right off him. She tried to stop her body from shaking, the tears from streaming down her face, tried to keep a clear head, but it was hard to adjust. Death had hit her like a train, and she hadn't even had time to recover. Had to think…had to think… How close was it to full moon? Her mind raced. Was it tonight? Ron was trying to curse the beast as well, to no effect. The Death Eaters had stopped fighting and were yelling at Greyback. "No! Fenrir! You can't kill him! He is the Dark Lord's! The Dark Lord will kill us all if you-"

Had…to…had to…

She saw Peter Pettigrew. Harry saw him too, struggling to get out from under Greyback, his nose bleeding all over the place. And he seemed to remember the same thing Hermione did, what Snape had said earlier about life debts…as the rat like man stood nervously in the crowd, Harry called out to him in a strangled voice. "…PETER! PETER….HELP!"

Pettigrew looked quizzically at Harry for a moment, then his eyes widened in surprise as his silver hand stretched forward and he was sent following it. He went up behind Fenrir, and punched him in the back with his silver hand. Fenrir gave an unearthly howl of pain, then shook his head, his cruel eyes narrowing on Peter. He turned on the watery eyed man while Harry scrambled for his wand. Pettigrew made a squeaky noise that reminded Hermione strongly of the sound he usedto make whenever Crookshanks came after him in rat form. Greyback lunged at Peter and bit his neck open. Peter jerked like a puppet whose strings had just been cut, gurgling and gasping, and with a last gesture jammed his silver hand into the man-wolf's stomach, and ripped the whole thing open as well. Both men fell to the floor, bloodied and dead. Snape made a faint noise of disgust.

Harry coughed, rubbing his neck and looking absolutely traumatized (which was how Hermione felt herself) as the platoon of Death Eaters eyed him, a vast majority of them smiling in a satisfied way. Ginny had rushed over to help, though she was clutching her stomach in a way indicating someone has cursed her, but it was obvious that they were greatly outnumbered, even with Snape on their side. Hermione, tears still wet on her face, clutched Luna's still warm, limp hand, certain she would be joining her soon.

The Entrance Hall doors crashed open, and Neville jumped through, looking very pleased with himself, and accompanied the entire Order of the Phoenix, Ministry officials, Hogwarts students and several other people Hermione didn't recognize, but suspected he had simply picked off the street. The tables were suddenly not only turned, but flung upside down.

Tonks fired off the first shot, and then all hell broke loose. Hermione eased herself out from under Luna's body, still trying not to cry any more. That would have to be for later. For now, she had to pretend Luna is sleeping. She wiped her eyes, steadied her wand and jumped into the fray.

Neville had gone straight for Bellatrix, who seemed to find the determined look on his face absolutely hilarious. "Oh, look, someone has come to avenge his dear mummy and daddy. You've been hanging 'round Potter far too long, you poor sod."

She dodged Neville's curse easily. "Seriously, it's very cute. But do you realize something, Longbottom. You're not Potter. You don't stand a chance against any of this." She shot a Killing Curse at him, which Neville ducked to avoid his face absolutely twisted with rage.

"You are absurdly incompetent," Bellatrix continued cheerfully, dodging another curse of Neville's at the end of her sentence. "But there's always one thing I've wondered," she said, sweeping her wand in a arc, and making Neville fall to his knees with an unseen spell. "Will you beg like your parents did? _Cruc-_

"STUPEFY!" Hermione called desperately. Bellatrix ducked so Hermione's curse went over her head, and next thing Hermione knew, her wand was knocked out of her hand and Bellatrix's was jammed against her throat.

"Hermione!" Neville cried, getting to his feet. Bellatrix laughed. "What's the big brave hero going to do now? Any spell you send at me, I'm going to block. I'm going to kill your little friend in front of your very eyes, just like I tortured your parents in front of you. And you will be able to nothing about it. Like I said, you're not Potter."

Neville sighed. "No. I'm not."

Then he raised his wand. "_Reducto!"_

Bellatrix's laugh died suddenly as the burst of light hit her. She was knocked directly into the table with all the plants Neville had been examining earlier, one in particular. The pot cracked and out popped the squirming green vines, which wrapped around the screaming death eater effortlessly and efficiently. They bound themselves around her arms and legs and shoulders, and finally wound around her neck, squeezing like a noose. She began to choke, until finally with a last gasp, she slid to the floor dead and the Devil's Snare retreated.

"Wow. Thank you," Hermione stared at her friend. Neville went over the table and picked up a card that had been resting beside the now cracked pot of Devil's Snare. It was in Professor Sprout's handwriting and read "In Case of Emergency."

"I remembered her taking precautions earlier this year," Neville said.

He stared down at Bellatrix's blank face with an expression to match. Hermione couldn't help but feel a little sick as she remembered Broderick Bode.

"It's odd," Neville sighed. "I don't feel any better. I thought I would."

Hermione tried to think of a response, but had to get out of the way as several combatants rushed past her. A Death Eater she thought was named Mulciber was pursuing Fred and George Weasley. She stunned him mid stride, and the twins gave her the thumbs up. It was odd, to see them here. So many people she recognized, so many people she didn't….all fighting. Neville saw a Death Eater running up the grand staircase and fled after him. She looked for Harry and Ron, and found them over in a corner of a room, cursing opponents like no tomorrow. Harry was looking very agitated. Hermione looked around once more. The battle has become distracted and so spread out there were now only a handful of people were still in the Entrance Hall. Snape and Ginny were still with them. Hermione looked at Harry again, who was rubbing his forehead. Ginny came over to them.

"Harry?" She said quizzically.

"Ginny…" Harry said through gritted teeth.

Something clicked in Hermione's head as Harry closed his eyes for a second. A moment before it happened, she saw what was coming

"Iloveyou," Harry said very quickly, and he stunned her. No sooner had Ginny hit the floor, than blindly and with his hand pressed to his forehead, he stunned Ron. Hermione used every bit of brainpower at her disposal and blocked Harry with her mind as the red flash of light turned to her. On instinct though, she pretended to fall unconscious. She had still not gotten the hang of the wandless blocking bit though, because she still felt unable to move her legs as she lay on the floor. She did let her eyes crack open a tiny bit.

Harry was shaking all over, his hands clutching his forehead as he attempted to keep standing. The doors to the great hall opened and the most horrible thing Hermione had ever seen stepped through.

She had seen Voldemort in the Pensieve, when they went in at Godric's Hollow, but it hadn't been anything like being in the room with him. The man's cold snake like red eyes turned on Harry, who fell to his knees, grunting with pain. Smiling liplessly, a smile that paralyzed Hermione, Voldemort raised his wand and…

…turned his head suddenly and his eyes fixed on the one person Harry had forgotten to Stun, Snape, who had raised his wand and pointed it at the Dark Lord, yelling "POTTER! GET OUT OF THE WAY YOU IDIOT!"

Voldemort emitted a Killing Curse at Snape, which intercepted the greasy haired git Harry had always hated so much and did just what it was designed for. A rushing sound, as if the sound of the life leaving Snape, filled the room and with a very empty sound, Snape dropped to the floor like a rag doll.

"Betrayal," Voldemort said coldly. "Disappointing."

Harry stumbled up as Voldemort surveyed the three unconscious bodies. Hermione's mind was blank with fear.

"They're…they're…dead…" Harry stammered.

"Don't lie to me, Harry," Voldemort said coolly. "I care nothing about your little friends. I just want to kill you. No more delays. No more running away. Will you agree to that, Harry? Will you agree not to run away screaming this time, and face your death?"

Harry nodded.

"And you tell the truth. Let's find a place away from all these bodies, we wouldn't want you falling over one and getting hurt."

Harry nodded again.

And they left.

Raven: There was…a prophecy, Robin. And it came true. It's all over now.  
Robin: Yeah. It's the end of the world. But so what? We're still here—still fighting. Still friends.

-Teen Titans, The End Part Three


	35. Soul Survivor

Authors Note: Second to last chapter! I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all my reviewers and everyone who read this story at ThinkPotter- I couldn't have done it without you. Especially Skivin' Ivy, Mercurystar and Jemlibris. (Special thanks to Jemlibris for this chapter. I'll explain it in the endnote) Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 35

The Soul Line

Hermione forced herself up. As she did, she heard Ron groan and looked over to see him roll over.

"You blocked it!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Yeah. Didn't this just happen to be a few hours ago?" Hermione helped Ron up.

"We have to move. No time to wake up Ginny," Hermione said taking off down the hall without hesitation. In truth, she realized, cramming her line of thought into split seconds as she ran, she also felt better not bringing Ginny with them. She wanted Ginny to live. She was just like Harry then, wasn't she? Completely irrational.

They couldn't find Harry and Voldemort anywhere. They raced desperately across the grounds. Hermione suppressed the urge to call out Harry's name.

"They could be anywhere," Ron said. "D'you suppose they went into the Forbidden Forest?"

"Highly doubtful," Hermione massaged her temples. _Oh my God, Harry. You are the most blundering, irrational, self-righteous, stubborn, completely driven-by-emotion, sarcastic, unfocused, self destructive and STUPID person I have ever met. Which is precisely why you're my best friend and if Voldemort kills you, I don't care how many people he's murdered, and I don't care if it's suicidal, I will do my very best to completely DESTROY him. AND if you die, I will personally dig you up and-wait…_

"I know where they are! Hermione cried.

"Wha…where?" Ron gaped at her.

"Graveyard. Where Dumbledore's buried. It's Voldemort after all; he'll want to mentally torture Harry as much as possible. Not only will this bring back traumatic memories of fourth year, he'll intimidate Harry and distract him with Dumbledore's gravestone, and psychologically it-

"HERMIONE. Stop it."

"Sorry," Hermione said quickly.

"I didn't even know we had a graveyard. Where the hell is the bloody graveyard?"

"Remember all those times I told you to read _ Hogwarts, A History?"_

"Unfortunately."

" _This is why._ Come on!" Hermione led the way with Ron puffing after her. Past the greenhouses, past everything, just a wide stretch of grass nobody ever bothered to look at. Between trees, nearly hidden, there was an ivy-covered gate. They raced up to it and Hermione pulled out her wand. "_Aloho-  
_

"Wait," Ron said quickly. "Before we die and all-

He kissed her very quickly, but it felt like the best kiss ever to Hermione. She smiled at him.

"Let's go do something incredibly stupid, recklessly brave, and entirely against school rules, shall we?"

"We've got to go with our talents," Ron nodded. "Sirius would be so proud. Now, do your specialty."

"_Alohomora,"_ Hermione unlocked the gate with a whisper and they rushed. As soon as they got in, they heard somebody screaming, the involuntary, choked scream that Hermione instantly knew was Harry being tortured. She gripped her wand as Ron made a furious sound. She'd teach Voldemort what happens when you take time to play with your food before you eat it. They snuck quickly and quietly through the graves until Hermione could see two figures. One was crawling on the ground, the other was laughing.

"Harry Potter," she heard Voldemort say, as she got closer. "If I were you, I would welcome the sweet death I am about to give you. I mean, I've taken everything from you, have I not?" His foot slammed down on Harry's hand as it reached for it's fallen wand, and she could hear Harry's defiant snarl as he grabbed Voldmort's leg, prepared to knock him down, but the Dark Lord merely laughed again and blasted Harry into a nearby gravestone. "I mean, let's think, shall we? I've killed your parents. I had that ridiculously inconsequential boy you seemed a bit attached to in the grave yard that night. Bella killed that scapegoat, Sirius Black, and she tells me you were SO upset about it. Attempting Unforgivable Curses and everything. That's not nice, Harry. And of course, we have that old fool. Your one mentor…your protector…your…friend? Not to mention, you've spent your entire life running from me. You should welcome death, Harry Potter. And do you know why? Because. You. Have. Nobody. Left."

"That's where you're wrong, you deformed soulless freak. He still has US!" Ron cried valiantly as he and Hermione popped up from behind the gravestone and fired the worse curses they could conceive at Voldemort. He deflected them easily. Hermione had had a feeling he would.

Harry looked up at them, looking very much worse for the wear. His glasses were crushed beside him so he had to squint to focus on them, to compound matters, his left eye was swelling up and his nose and head were bleeding. The gravestone Voldemort had blasted him into has an enormous dent in it now, and with a sick feeling, Hermione read the letters between the cracked rock. BUS UM DORE.

"No," Harry croaked. "No…you two…leave…now!"

"Ah," Voldemort gave a very cruel smile. "These must be your dear friends. The Malfoy boy passed me some information on them. You're supposed to be insanely protective of them. If I kill them, it will be your biggest loss yet, am I correct?" He raised his wand.

"GET DOWN!" Ron grabbed Hermione and forced her down, so two Killing Curses flew over their heads.

"I…Malfoy's wrong…I don't care about them…they're nothing…" she heard Harry choke out.

"You have to break that lying habit, Harry, it's just not polite to be so deceitful. Dumbledore would not approve," Voldemort said lazily. It was clear he didn't see Ron and Hermione as a threat at all.

"Wand at the ready," Ron muttered. Hermione felt like she was going to vomit all over the place. Ron was shaking quite badly beside her. Being her, it really made her realize…that this was it. There was no way she could survive this. She'd never get to say goodbye to her Mum and Dad…she hadn't written them lately…she'd been so busy. What would they think when they found out she was dead? Who would take care of Crookshanks? The Weasleys, she supposed, since that's where she'd left him. Another thing that annoyed her was that Voldemort was going to beat her. And Hermione didn't like losing to anyone. Though she really supposed she'd spent the last six or seven years losing to Voldemort…every time she couldn't help Harry…. or anyone else.

Well, she was here now. And win or lose, one thing she knew was she wasn't going to give up. She'd studied hard for this test, after all.

"Three…two…one…" Ron muttered.

Voldemort's head poked around the grave, his wand pointing straight at Hermione. He opened his mouth to say a curse, but Harry grabbed him around the legs, making him fall. Hermione figured it was the most admirably stupid thing he'd ever done.

"Please…" Harry gasped. "This…is my last...request…you two…Voldemort's…right…you're all…I've got…left…please…go…."

Voldemort suddenly sprang up. I "_Crucio!"_

Hermione felt like her skull had exploded and its shards were now stabbing into her remains repeatedly. The entire WORLD was on fire. Her brain had gone on pause…no, it had dissolved. She has never experienced ANYTHING like this. She didn't know who she was, where she was, why she was…she wasn't even thinking of herself as human, she was in a realm outside words, outside categories, outside life….no concepts understood, except for PAIN. SO MUCH PAIN.

Shewantedtodiewantedtodiesomuch…

It broke into a million pieces and Hermione was lying on the ground aching and gasping. She couldn't see what Harry or Ron had done to get her out of the curse, but she forced herself to sit up. She could see Voldemort fuzzily, standing over Ron and looking mildly annoyed (she supposed this meant he was the one responsible for her rescue) while Harry scrambled for his wand. She steadied her shaking hand and fired a stunning spell…. and…it connected. And did absolutely nothing. It was like Voldemort was a giant or something. He was so powerful he could block himself without looking or thinking. Voldemort turned to her and she felt a vague terror, but at this point it was almost unreal. She had transcended fear a long time ago. She did every curse she knew, even that stupid _Sectumsempra_ one. He blocked them easily, or let them fly past him. Her wand flew out of her hand into his, and he examined it carelessly. "I thought the Malfoy boy said something about you being the clever one? I must admit, I find your judgment very much to the contrary. And you are Muggle-born too, am I correct?"

Hermione figured she was going to die at this point, so she might as well try to say something defiant. "Something we have in common, I'm told."

Voldemort's eyes flashed angrily at this. Hermione could feel the storm coming. She had actually angered him. It gave her a prickly sense of satisfaction. "Oh, yes, you were half blood. Well, very much the same thing. We're still kindred spirits, you and I. I think it's a bit sad, that you hide your lovely heritage."

She waited to die, but Voldemort's suddenly pointed his wand at Harry, not her, and blasted him back into Dumbledore's grave just before he reached his wand. "I want you to watch this, Potter. Watch what happens when you bring your insolent little friends to slaughter."

He raised his wand, but Ron shouted "CRUCIO!" and Voldemort doubled over in pain as the spell hit him. He straightened up fairly quickly though.

"Damn!" Ron spat. "Why am I not psychotic enough to cast this spell?"

"I am very tired of this stupidity," Voldemort waved his wand in a wide arc and Ron crashed into Hermione. "I can no longer stand to be in the presence of you little lackeys, so I'm going to forgo watching you suffer and kill you quickly. Say goodbye."

"NO!" Harry seemed to defy the laws of physics for a second as he jumped a long distance to land directly in front of Ron and Hermione. "If…you want to kill them…you'll have to do…me…first."

Voldemort gave a strange hissing sound. "Do you really think I'm going to fall for that one, Potter?"

"Not really," Harry admitted.

Voldemort jerked his wand and Harry's arm gave a very loud snap. Harry fell over, screaming in pain.

"STOP IT!" Hermione screamed, pounding her fists fruitlessly against the mud packed ground. To her anger, she was now crying.

"I'll kill you…I WILL…." Ron said angrily, but in the sort of way you knew he didn't believe himself, no matter how much he wanted to.

"Nothing's going to stop me. You all should know that by now. Now get out of the way, Harry, and watch your little friends die like a man," Voldemort said softly, a cruel smile stretching across his face.

"I think…I know…something that…will…" Harry spat out some blood and forced himself to a sitting position. "Tell me, Riddle, it's the final battle…do you know where your snake is?"

"Harry…no…" Hermione whispered.

Voldemort's scarlet eyes narrowed. "You…"

"She's dead. And so is that precious little piece of your excuse for a soul."

Voldemort straightened up, his lipless mouth opening to reveal his pointed teeth. "What…you…"

"That's right. I know. Or more appropriately, he knew," Harry gestured to Dumbledore's dilapidated gravestone. "Should've killed him sooner, because he told me everything. He outsmarted you. He figured out the location of every single one of your little Horcruxes. Or should I say ex-Horcruxes, because me and my little friends here? We destroyed all of them."

"You couldn't have…. nobody could…" Voldemort snarled.

"All." Harry said, a gurgling chuckle barely escaping his mouth. "The locket, you can thank little Amy Benson for that, she took care of it for us when she went back to your little secret hideout for therapy. She explicitly told me to tell you, wanted you to know a Muggle bested you. The ring was Dumbledore's. The diary was ages ago, of course, but the cup was all us. You don't have anything to keep you immortal anymore. You can die now."

Voldemort stared at Harry in complete shock, and then very suddenly gave a howl of rage. "I_Imperio! Imperio!_/I

Suddenly Hermione was floating. Everything was beautiful and empty and for once she wasn't worried at all. It was wonderful…like an enchanted sleep.

_Put the wand to your head and kill yourself. Go ahead. Just say Avada Kedavra. Go ahead. _A melodic soothing voice beckoned her.

Okay…

_Hermione! Ron! NO!_

Hmmm? What was that?

_Don't mind him. Kill yourself…it'll be alllll over. Go ahead  
_

_ NOOOO_

Harry…?

_Ignore it. Go ahead. You're going to go to heaven, little Mudblood. It'll be so sweet…_

_ Don't do it! Fight it fight it fight it!_

Second voice…so full of anguish and terror…invading her happy place so…afraid. She had to help that voice. Help. It.

Hermione turned the wand away from her head and towards Voldemort. She fired some sort of spell, she didn't even know what it was…. and it missed him. Another one came from Ron and Voldemort blocked it.

She was out of the happy place.

"You're not going to kill me, Potter. Because you forgot one Horcrux in your little list," Voldemort snarled, his whole being frothing with rage

"Oh… yeah?" Harry managed to say.

"Yes. _Crucio_. " Voldemort pointed his wand at Ron who immediately began screaming a jerking.

"RON!" Hermione and Harry cried. Hermione felt tears streaming down her cheeks. She reached for her wand, but Voldemort summoned it away again. Hermione couldn't move…she was aching all over. Voldemort looked down at Harry.

"Going to kill them, Harry. I'll kill them both. And you won't be able to kill me, because you forgot one Horcrux."

"Oh wait," Harry said, his eyes narrowed dangerously. "You don't mean I forgot to mention _the gauntlet, do you?"_

And with that, Harry grabbed Voldemort's robes with his right hand, ripping through them and scratching a giant gash on Voldemort's leg. He then pressed his own badly scraped hand to the cut.

Voldemort stared as his own blood mixed with Harry's, leaking out through Harry's fingers as Harry squeezed. "What are you-?" Then the Dark Lord began to scream, scream a terrible scream that was like a chainsaw burning against metal. He dropped his wand and Ron stopped jerking at last.

"It…hurts…doesn't it?" Harry said through gritted teeth. "Love…and all…that. We share…blood…my mother's protection…and my…hand…was in…that stupid…gauntlet. That magic is…going…through soul…and blood…what…Dumbledore…was talking about…_"_

Voldemort fell to his knees, still screaming. Harry's whole face was twisted up in fierce concentration now, and his nose was beginning to bleed. Hermione could feel something bad was coming and she struggled to move, but found she still couldn't.

Harry kept talking; it was almost like he had to in order to distract himself from the pain.

"You should…n't…have…used…my blood…Voldemort. That's…what…the…the…Dumbledore's…gleam…was about…we're…connected…by…my mothers…magic…in blood…and…maybe…he…thought…it wouldn't…work…but…now…with…by hand…with…the…gauntlet…I…have…a…way…in. Your…soul…what's…left…" Harry broke off with a cry of pain. To Hermione's horror, as more of Voldemort's blood begin to dribble out between the gaps between Harry's fingers, Harry's hand began to have little black and brown threads snake up his hand, spreading like ink, as if he had stabbed a quill into his veins…like his hand was rotting. She realized with a jolt that it was like when Harry had had the gauntlet attached to his arm. The same thing was happening around Voldemort's wound as Harry squeezed, and Voldemort's eyes rolled back in his head as he continued to give that terrible yell.

"I love them…." Harry cried, shaking all over, pointing a wobbly finger at Ron and Hermione. "HOW DOES IT FEEL, VOLDEMORT? HUH? _HOW DOES IT FEEL?"_

A terrible crackling wind was whipping up around the two enemies. Magic was making the ground shake. Ron said something, but Hermione couldn't hear it. Tears of pain were streaming down Harry's face now.

"I loved Sirius and Dumbledore and my mother and my father and you killed them and now FEEL IT!" Harry said in a choked voiced. The blackness continued to spread up Harry's arm and across Voldemort's skin. Voldemort was frothing at the mouth now; his skin seemed to be cracking, dark crevices interrupting him, something happening to his eyes. Harry's scar began to split open, blood sliding down the sweaty bridge of his nose. Hermione finally found it in herself to move. She grabbed Ron's hand and they both ran towards the struggling pair, only to be knocked back by the crackling magic. Hermione's head and part of her face smashed against the solid stone and now she REALLY couldn't move, or in fact, barely keep conscious as she watched.

There was so much blood now…Hermione could only hope most of it as Voldemort's, but she watched in terror as Harry's lightning bolt scar split open all the way and the blood slid down Harry's face directly into Voldemort's wound. Voldemort gave his loudest scream yet and Harry screamed too, black veins stretching up both their faces and Voldemort's eyes turned a bright, bright green, just like Harry's and then…

Something shiny and very very small slipped out of Voldemort's mouth. Harry raised his bloody right hand, still black and rotted looking and whispered… "_Soul…"_ and closed his fingers around it.

There was a bright, bright flash of white that nearly blinded Hermione and when her vision finally came back she saw Harry sitting on the ground beside Voldemort, whose eyes were still green, and very, very empty. He didn't have a soul anymore…no sense of self or memory…he was worse than dead.

"_And one shall die at the hand of the other_

_Because neither can live while the other survives, "_ Harry whispered, and then he fell over.

Ron crawled over and helped Hermione up, and they both stumbled over to Harry, Hermione's heart beating like a mouse's as she cried. _Pleasedon'tbedeadPleasedon'tbedeadPleasedon'tbedead_

Harry was still breathing, but barely. The blackness had disappeared from his face and the rest of his body, but his right hand was severely damaged. He gazed blearily up at him.

"kill…m…"

"What?" Ron said, kneeling down anxiously.

"Kill…m…" Harry looked at Voldemort. "S…can't…come…back…"

Hermione turned around and raised her arm over the tortured Voldemort, but she couldn't summon any feeling other than terror over Harry's condition and more tears. So she dropped her wand and closing her eyes, stomped as hard as she could on Voldemort's neck, breaking it with a _crack!_

"Whoa," Ron said.

"Thank…" Harry mumbled.

"Don't die on me, Harry," Hermione dropped down beside him, wiping her eyes. "Please, don't do that to me."

"I dunno…" Harry seemed not to be looking at them. "I see my Mum and Dad…"

"No you don't, mate, they're not here," Ron said anxiously, a tear dribbling down his long nose. "They're not here. WE are here."

"There's kinda a light…" Harry's eyes were blank. "And them…all…of them…"

"Harry Potter, I swear if you go towards that light I will make your afterlife so miserable…it will be…miserable…" Hermione said through sobs, squeezing Harry's hand.

"Yeah, she'll lecture you for all eternity or something," Ron choked, grabbing Harry by the shoulder. "Please, you're my best mate…you're only seventeen…please…please…please…"

"Mum…" Harry tried to say something, then spat out some blood.

"No, Harry…no…don't let him win!" Hermione screamed. She pressed her hand to her heart and realized in anguish that it was slowing horribly.

"Mum…" Harry said again and his heart skipped two beats. Hermione broke into uncontrolled sobbing as Ron began to cry harder too. They were losing him.

"Mum…is…shakin' her head…she doesn't want me to…come…she's crying…" Harry managed.

Hermione's eyes widened and she stopped crying. "Yes, Harry, listen to her! You should always listen to you Mum!"

"Yeah, and don't use Hermione and me as examples, you know we're bad people," Ron urged. "It's not time, Harry, not time…"

"Luna's waving garlic at me," Harry said quite clearly, his cracked lips forming a smile.

"And Luna, always listen to Luna," Hermione began to cry again.

"Yeah…" Harry closed his eyes. "Okay…"

He closed his eyes and his heartbeat seemed to go slightly faster.

"Ron!" Hermione cried. "If you run directly east you'll reach a fence and if you jump over that you'll be off Hogwarts grounds and you can Apparate to St. Mungo's and get Harry some Healers!"

Ron nodded. "I promise to read "Hogwarts, A History" after this, okay?"

"FINALLY!" Hermione called as Ron took off running.

She held Harry's head in her lap. He was unconscious now.

"You did it," she whispered. "You really did it, Harry. You saved…everybody."

Soon Ron came rushing back with several Healers, all who stopped dead at the sight of Voldemort's corpse.

"Wha…" One said, looking like she was about to pass out.

"GET A MOVE ON!" roared Ron. "If you want to be grateful, then save the boy who killed him!"

The Healers rushed to Harry's aid, lifting him up on a magic stretcher. More Healers came pouring in after that, and Hermione sent a few of them to Hogwarts. Eventually Ginny and Neville came out to join them.

"Is he…" Ginny gasped.

"They think he's going to be okay," Hermione assured her friend. "Well, you know, all things considered…"

"Thank God," Ginny sniffled. "Because I want to kill him myself for Stunning me…"

"Wow…" Neville said, kneeling over Voldemort's corpse. "Wow…who broke his neck?"

"That was me," Hermione said. "But it was very easy, since Harry's the one who crushed his soul with his bare hands."

"Wait, what?"

"Hold it," a stern looking Healer bustled toward Hermione and Ron. "You two both need serious medical attention."

"What?" Ron was leaning heavily against a gravestone. "Are you mad? We're just fine!"

He pushed himself off the gravestone and promptly began to pass out. The Healer caught him before he hit the ground, and gave Hermione a very beady glare.

"All right, then," Hermione sat down on the grass, leaning against Dumbledore's grave, somehow proud looking despite the massive damage that had been inflicted on it, and allowed herself to go to sleep.

_Let's write a story of a tidal wave  
We run out of luck  
We run out of days  
We run out of gas  
A hundred miles away  
From a station_

_There's a war and a plague  
Smoke and disaster  
Lions in the coliseum  
Screams of laughter  
Motherless children  
A witness and a bible  
Nothing but rain ahead  
No chance for our survival_

_Just before the flood comes  
Just before the night falls  
Just before the blood runs  
Into the valley  
Just before my eyes go  
Just before we can't go any further  
Love throws a line to you and me_

_I heard someone calling me from very far away  
Sister oh sister did I hear them say?  
Prisoner of this endless story of pain  
You hold the key  
Try to find the way_

_And just before the flood comes  
Just before the night falls  
Just before the blood runs  
Into the valley  
Just before my eyes go  
Just before it all blows to pieces  
Love throws a line to you and me_

_Love you better pick up your paceIf we're gonna win this race  
Love we're running out of time  
Pull yourself out from behind _

-**"Love Thow A Line", **Patty Griffin

A/N: Thanks very much to Jemlibris on ThinkPotter for giving me the idea for how Voldemort was to be defeated with her comment about if Harry's hand being in the Horcrux could correlate to the "either must die at the hand of the other" line in the prophecy. I realized a couple chapters before this one that my original plan for the final battle was du ex machina and cheesy, and thought hard about how Harry would defeat Voldemort, and then I remembered Jem's comment and...viola! Yay, Jem! It may STILL be DEM and cheesy, I dunno, but it's definitely less so than what was originally planned! ;) So thanks Jem, you're a genius.

The next chapter should be the epilogue, wrapping everything up, and should come soon. Once again, thanks to all my reviewers.


	36. Epilogue

Epilogue

_So that's it. That's the story. I'm the one who wrote this down because Harry thought it was pointless, and Ron, well, you can't do anything with him as far as writing is concerned. But I don't want people to forget. I don't know if I'm going to publish this or not, I know Harry wouldn't like it if I did. The thing is, people are already forgetting. And that scares me._

_It's been a year since that day. Harry took a while to recover in the hospital, so long that he's often be chastised for over exerting himself when he'd get bored and decide to look for secret passages in the hospital, or harass Gilderoy Lockhart. But recover he did, except that no matter what was done to fix it, his right hand is still…charred looking. They don't think it will ever work properly again either. Harry thinks it's a small price to pay, and even boasts that his hand is a tribute to Dumbledore._

_The three of us do live together in a house now, with Ginny. Harry can get anything he wants for free now, and so can his friends. He always trys to insist on paying, but people are unmovable. Ron, as a contrast, takes advantage of this opportunity with much delight, and whenever we go anywhere will scream "HELLO! WE ARE WITH HARRY POTTER HERE! THE WIZARD WHO SAVED YOU ALL FROM DESTRUCTION! GIVE US FREE STUFF!" At which point Harry will kick him, then Ron will kick him back and I'll scream at them both to stop it before I curse them into nothingness, and that's why Ginny doesn't like going out with us in public._

_But anyway, unfortunately there is a tally of missing and dead people to go over. Harry's ex-girlfriend, Cho Chang along with her friend Marietta Edgecomb, was killed when the Death Eaters raided Hogwarts and so was Professor Vector, my beloved Arithmacy teacher. There were two other casualties as well, a first year I had never gotten the chance to meet, Ellis Cranwell and a third year called Euan Abercrombie. Elphias Doge and Strugis Podmore are Order Members who were killed in the final battle too, rest their souls. Draco Malfoy has been missing in action ever since that day. I can't say if he's dead or not, but I'd wager the latter. I guess he just wanted to escape. And of course, countless others I did not know personally were killed, all around the world. A few were found though, for example, Mr. Ollivander, who had gone into hiding in Madame Malkin's house after escaping from the Death Eaters who attacked his wand shop. He's perfectly fine, crazy as ever, and creepily enough has a "thing" with Madame Malkin. _

_We recently did our make-up N.E.W.T.'s for seventh year, along with others. We all did very well (I got an E in Arithmacy because I go distracted missing Professor Vector, but what can you do?), thanks to the study sessions I set up of course. Ginny will be resuming her sixth year as soon as Hogwarts opens back up again, which should be soon. _

_We'll be applying for jobs soon. Ron and Harry are still considering being Aurors, and if they do it I suppose I'll go with them, but I'm not sure. I would very much like to set up a House Elf Liaison department in the Ministry, though Ron keeps reminding me not to scare them too badly. Harry said something about the Muggle Civil Rights movement, which on further questioning he remembers absolutely nothing about, but that's fine. _

_The point is that change needs to happen. The real reason I'm writing this is I look out the window, I see people celebrating Voldemort's downfall, but they don't seem to remember what caused all this ugliness in the first place. They don't really know how much sweat, blood, death and tears went into ending it, even though they were right there. They don't seem to remember that they didn't believe Harry at first, they don't reflect on how fickle they were. They laud Harry as a hero, but they don't understand who he truly is. They seemed to think he defeated Voldemort because he was magical and special. Well, he is very special. Not because he's ungodly powerful, not because he's the mightiest warrior on earth, not because he's brilliant or anything. What makes him who he is…is he has something most people don't. He's special because he's just a regular person, only he refused to give in, to give up. What makes him special is he puts other people before himself and weathers things people would go mad over. What made him in the end was he was able to look at things…and not get involved in petty differences in blood or heritage or how you grew up- and being able to distinguish the lies from the truth, and not believing in the hate people spew. _

_People need to learn from that. But they don't seem to be. They're making the same mistakes over again…still thinking Muggles are stupid because they can't make things hover with their minds, still hating anything that's different. And worst of all, they're forgetting. Forgetting like they did after the first time Voldemort was defeated. Thinking they're safe. Forgetting the dead, the terror, the miracles, the way our government showed how corrupt it was. Making the same mistakes over and over again._

_I fear if we don't change, another Voldemort is going to be created. Voldemort was an embodiment of the hatred and madness of humanity. The way we're going, there will always me another Voldemort._

_We just have to hope there will always be another Harry Potter._

_So maybe I will put this out there, as one last battle. Maybe it will open somebody's eyes. My mother (my parents and I visit each other often now and are trying to work out our "issues". In fact, we go there so often Crookshanks managed to reproduce with the lady cat who lives next door to them) says the pen is mightier than the sword. Harry points out that this is not true, citing second year. Ginny argues that was a Basilisk fang, not a sword. But whatever is mightier, I'll give this a shot. If there's anything I believe in, it's the power of books._

_My name is Hermione Granger._

_All I want is one thing._

_I want you to remember._

She relaxed her mind and watched the quill drop to the table.

"You're finally done with that?" Harry said across the room, where he was watching Ginny doing the Daily Prophet crossword puzzle.

"Yes," Hermione said. "Our harrowing journey all laid out. Is it okay if I publish it?"

"That depends, did you call me any names in it?" said Ron, who was on the couch beside her, playing with her hair.

"Nothing you didn't deserve," Hermione said, flicking him on the nose.

"All right, then."

"I don't care," said Harry, as he started tickling the back of Ginny's neck until she giggled and swatted him.

"I'm dedicating it to Luna," Hermione said decisively. "What should I call it?"

" _The Adventures of Ron Weasley and His Friends…But Mostly Ron Weasley!"_ Ron said dramatically.

"No."

" "_How I Spent My Summer Vacation?" "The Handbook To Defeating Dark Lords?" "The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook?"_

"_Ginny's Quest to Stop Harry From Doing Idiotic Things?" _Ginny suggested.

"Now you're just being too silly…"

_"__The Power of Love and It's Practical Applications?" _Harry waved his mutilated hand.

"Ooh! Ooooh! I've got it!" Ron said excitedly. " _Soul Searching!"_

"_Honestly…" _

FIN

Authors Note: Once again, I'd like to thanks all my awesome reviewers. I'd also like to thank the people at ThinkPotter once more. I've worked on this thing for more or less a year, and I could never have gotten through it without them. I got the idea for this fanfic as soon as I finished reading HBP. It took a lot of thinking and a lot of wriggling around plot holes to get it done, but I did. The reason I told it from Hermione's point of view is entirely selfish, she's my favorite character. But also, I did want to do something different and not have Harry tell the story, but have someone who we all know would be a good narrator, with her sharp logical way of looking at things and her ability to peice the puzzle together. Just interesting, you know.

Harry Potter means a lot to me, and so does writing. It was only because of HP that I survived fourth grade, the world is not kind to a geeky and socially inept little blonde girl, especially the elementary school world, and so I took refuge in HP to a pretty unhealthy point, but it helped me not crack. Now I'm cough mostly well adjusted, and actually have moved on to other things besides HP though I still love it obviously, I'm not obsessed with it anymore. Well, only the tiniest bit obsessed. But Ms. Rowling is a real inspiration to me in my writing, and I'll always see her as the best in the buisiness. She, and Hermione, provided positive role models for me in my youth. I can only imagine how many other children JK has helped, and she is awesome for giving kids something to hold onto, like she gave that little girl with no friends and an alcoholic father so many years ago something to hold onto and to help her dream.

My point in all this is this is pretty much the longest thing I ever wrote, and it did take a lot of effort, but I did love doing it so much, even if I felt like giving up sometimes. So since I spent a year writing this, I get to do the weepy speech. I'll say one more thing, an interesting little story. I remember doing a search to see if there were any fics with the words: Horcrux Hunt in them and found "Harry and 'Miones Horcrux Hunt: A Must Read for Ginny Haters.

My reactions

1. Who could hate Ginny:(

2. Why are we putting 'Mione and not Hermione, no one has ever called her Hermione in the book.

3. Why did Harry and Hermione ditch Ron? Ron is their best friend, why'd they go off without him.

I didn't read the thing, so it may be awesome for some, though I doubt it's for me, and no disrespect to the author, but it reminded me I really hate it when authors use fanfic as an excuse to bash on characters they don't like, instead of using it as a chance to celebrate (and celebrating includes parodying of course) the canon and crafting their own side story in order to hone their writing skills. Fun is the word for fanfic, and hating fictional characters is no fun at all. So people should stop.

Okay, that's over. Now, I hope everyone enjoyed this and thank you all for reading, once again! Now we have Deathly Hallows to look foward to and it should be a blast! So catch you all on the flipside, and let's all wait passionately for July 21! Thanks JK Rowling, for all you fo.


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